The awards, now in their fourth year, were initiated jointly by AIA Insurance, the School of Public Health of the Peking University and HRflag, a leading human resources management think tank in China.
Advocating the ethos of 'Health and Win-win to Future', the '2024 Asia Best Workplace (Mainland China)' awards recognise employers that contribute outstandingly to workplace wellbeing and commend organisations that introduce innovative health approaches to the workplace.
This year, near 300 organisations applied for the awards. A total of 125 organisations completed the over 180-day selection process, which was informed by questionnaire surveys and expert reviews. Notably, employees were required to complete an anonymous questionnaire covering the spectrum of personal and workplace health. This provides employers with insights into staff’s perceived state of health within the workplace and in their daily lives.
Ultimately, 70 organisations were recognised for excellence across five categories: Best Practice, Best Innovation, Healthiest Employee and Healthiest Employer, and Best Workplace. OSCAR was announced as one of the 17 winners of the 'Healthiest Employer Award', alongside Fortune 500 companies such as Lenovo, Estée Lauder and Contemporary Amperex Technology.
Professor Zhanfeng Cui, Director of OSCAR, said: "This is tremendous news that shows we are supportive of staff wellbeing and development. OSCAR will continue to align itself with the values and practices of the University of Oxford so that we remain an attractive place to work.”
Highlights of OSCAR’s health arrangements commended by the awards include:
Health Policies and Health Environment that support staff wellbeing
An EHS system modelled on Oxford standards- A risk assessment-based strategy that prioritizes nontoxic and lower toxicity alternatives
- Labs fully equipped with fresh air systems
- Real-time fume hood air velocity monitoring for experiments involving toxic chemicals
- Environmental inspections and health check-ups for jobs with high exposure to occupational hazards
- Introduction of the 'oscrchem+' applet for reliable and efficient management of lab chemicals
- Ergonomic office furniture
- Training courses on first aid, emergency evacuation and ergonomics
- Humanistic facilities, including a nursing room, prayer room, gym and library
Health services that help staff balance their roles between working and home lives
Flexible working hours- People-centred leave schemes
- Health check-up packages
- Family medical emergency aid
- Family day, away day and traditional culture day events
Leah He, General Manager of OSCAR, said: “I’m delighted that OSCAR has received this award. OSCAR fully embodies the belief of the award with our safe and healthy work environment, people-centred culture, amicable atmosphere, and our work in medical and healthcare research and commercialisation. We keep good health practices in place and show care for our people’s mental and physical health, so that they feel happy and satisfied here, and become more creative, higher performers at work.”
This is the second time OSCAR has been honoured for going the extra mile to create a people-centred working environment. In 2022, OSCAR took home the 'Greater Suzhou Best Employer Award' as the first research institute winner in the award’s nine year history. OSCAR is increasingly known not only for its research excellence, but also for the environment that makes it possible.