According to van der Waal, a programme like Carrot enhances PepsiCo’s strong employee value proposition and ability to retain and recruit talented employees. By providing employees with the necessary tools and support to improve their well-being on a personal level, employees are empowered to have a more significant impact in the workplace.
“The Carrot programme is currently being rolled out across several countries where PepsiCo operates, with PepsiCo South Africa being one of the early adopters of the programme. Given the diverse age range in our employee population, we recognise the need not only for family-building programmes, but also for hormonal health support programmes,” explains van der Waal.
Hence, as one of South Africa’s Certified Top Employers, we made an intentional choice to view corporate wellness through a wider lens and implement a programme which further enhances our offerings to better support our employees’ wellness journeys
The Carrot programme serves as a trusted hub for employees, providing essential support information and compassionate personnel. It operates as an information bridge, addressing employees' questions and concerns before they schedule specialist appointments.
This includes providing clarity on expectations, the duration of family-building, and fertility interventions, and the potential benefits of additional medical support during the journey. For instance, the programme offers the option to schedule regular appointments with a psychologist, recognising the often challenging and lengthy procedures associated with hormonal and fertility health.
This is what employees can expect when signing up for the programme:
- Offered as a benefit: While PepsiCo South Africa offers the Carrot programme as a free benefit to their employees to access personalised guidance in matters relating to hormonal and fertility health, and family-building. Employees remain responsible for the cost of medical care such as fertility treatments, surrogacy fees, adoption fees, etc. Carrot offers resources and guidance to help employees understand and navigate different financing avenues available to them.
- Personalised approach: the programme provides employees with a customised plan to help move our employees forward on their journey and to make informed choices.
- Expertise: Access to Carrot’s team of medical experts and specialists to help our people navigate the best options for them, costs, care, as well as provide answers to any other lingering questions they may have.
- A dedicated Carrot Care Team: Access to support resources over the phone or via live chats; 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
- Network of suitable Carrot service providers: Supports users to find suitable service providers plus exclusive discounts and expedited appointments with partner providers.
“We work hard to create a supportive and inclusive environment that fosters a positive work culture. For us, this means intentionally putting our people at the heart of the business and helping them thrive. As such, our approach encompasses promoting physical health, supporting mental and emotional health, helping build resilience and improving financial well-being, as well as encouraging community involvement, family and social connections; all of which are critical components to promoting all round well-being,” adds van der Waal.
Employees in caring and responsive work environments establish a genuine connection to their workplace, resulting in increased loyalty and active contribution to the company's success. Organisations that prioritise their people are also better prepared to navigate the inevitable impact of change
