Telecel Fusion: We don’t just employ people to work; we value their well-being – CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of Telecel Ghana, Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai, has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to employee wellbeing, stressing that the organisation prioritises the overall health and welfare of its workforce beyond their daily responsibilities.

Speaking at the climax of the company’s annual Wellness Month activities, Ing. Obo-Nai said Telecel Ghana had consistently dedicated October to promoting staff well-being for more than eight years, through a range of activities aimed at improving employees’ physical and mental health.

“Over eight years now, we’ve always set aside October as our Wellbeing Month. And for us as an organisation, it’s not enough to employ people, come, get their work done, and go home. We take care of their total well-being,” she said.

She explained that the initiative involves inviting professionals to speak to employees, setting weight-loss targets, and engaging staff in activities both within and outside the office.

“And so every October, we bring in people to speak to them. We set out targets to lose weight. We get involved in activities in the office and out of the office. And so today is the crowning of the event,” she stated.

This year’s celebration climaxed with a 5.5-kilometre walk from the company’s office to Burma Camp, where employees participated in a series of physical exercises and collaborative activities with support from the military.

Ing. Obo-Nai said the walk and subsequent activities were designed not only to promote physical fitness but also to strengthen relationships among employees and help them refresh their minds for the remainder of the year.

“We have done the five-and-a-half-kilometer walk from our office to Burma Camp. We came with the assistance of the military, and we are here to carry out a number of activities and exercises, to collaborate and also to exercise, to have our minds cleared for the rest of the year,” she said.

Asked whether the initiative would continue or was a one-time event, the CEO gave an assurance that the company would sustain the programme, citing the benefits recorded over the years.

“If we’ve done it over the past eight years and we’ve seen the benefits, then I don’t see any reason why we should stop,” she said.

She explained that the programme had contributed positively to the health of the organisation and its employees, as well as staff morale and productivity.

“For us, we see the benefits in the health of the organisation, the health of the people, and in the hearts of the people. When you have the people who are engaged, they are very, very productive. And if you look around, you can see that people are really excited to be here. So we will continue,” Ing. Obo-Nai stated.

She further clarified that the Wellness Month activities were not restricted to employees in Accra but involved staff across the country and from different departments of the company.

She emphasised that the initiative covered the entire organisation, with employees from various operational units taking part in the activities.

“So everybody in Accra is participating. In fact, last week we did that for the retail shop, the experience center, the call center, everybody, the fix engineers, and some of them are here today.

“So the teams across the country are also doing the same thing. So this is national. This is total organization. We’ve shut down and we are all here,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Human Resources Director of Telecel Ghana, Rachael Appenteng, explained that the annual exercise serves as an opportunity to strengthen relationships among employees, promote teamwork and build a more productive workforce.

She noted that the initiative provides a platform for employees to interact beyond their routine work schedules, helping to foster collaboration and strengthen relationships across departments.

The Sales and Distribution Director of Telecel Ghana, Samuel Sarpong, also highlighted the incentives available to departments that emerge winners in the various competitions organised as part of the celebration.

He noted that the rewards serve as motivation for employees to participate actively, demonstrate teamwork, and give their best in the different activities.