Jazz Sets Corporate Benchmark with New Comprehensive Employee Grief Support Policy

A major step has been taken towards documenting the rights and welfare of employees in Pakistan’s corporate sector. Leading telecommunications company Jazz has introduced a ‘Bereavement Leave Policy’, revolutionising its human resource (HR) structure. The initiative is creating a new debate and standard in the private sector regarding employee peace of mind, trauma management and gender inclusion.

According to a press release issued by the company, the main objective of this policy is to provide flexibility and protection to employees during the most critical and emotionally difficult phases of their lives. The details of the policy state that any permanent employee will be given 10 days of paid (including salary and benefits) bereavement leave on the death of their spouse. Furthermore, keeping in mind the religious and social values ​​of Pakistani society, the company has given the option of working from home for up to 120 days for female employees undergoing ‘iddah’, so that they can maintain a balance between their career and personal life.

According to corporate analysts, Jazz’s move is directly in line with its environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, where employees’ mental health and family support are considered a fundamental ethical responsibility of the company. All these bereavement leaves will not affect the employees’ existing annual leave account, which shows that the company is serious about reducing their suffering rather than burdening them with work.

Jazz’s Chief People Officer Tazeen Shahid, while shedding light on the company’s strategy, clarified that the hallmark of a strong corporate culture is not just achieving business profits or targets, but also strengthening the system of mutual compassion, inclusion and care among its employees. He said that through this policy, Jazz wants to provide its employees with a safe haven where they can fend for themselves, free from the fear of job or salary security in times of personal losses.

In Pakistan, there are generally no clear or long-term laws regarding bereavement leave within private organisations, due to which most employees face severe stress during such tragedies. This step taken by Jazz will prove to be a high and exemplary model in human resource management not only for the telecom sector but also for all large companies across the country, which other organisations should also follow.