Global sustainability leader Ørsted was awarded the 2024 Work-Life Balance Award by Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor for its wide-ranging and industry-leading flexible policies that support work-life balance for its employees. This award, the highest national recognition from the ministry, honours companies dedicated to the well-being of their employees. Ørsted emerged as a top performer among 251 companies this year, winning the Flexible Work Award, making it the only energy company to receive the award twice.
Christy Wang, chair of Ørsted Taiwan, says “We’re truly honoured to receive the Work-Life Balance Award again this year. At Ørsted, we believe in building green energy in a sustainable way and that employees are the key force in realising that. Under the principle of ‘building green energy, powered by people,’ we’re dedicated to creating a greener future that’s employee-friendly, positive for society, beneficial for industry, and environmentally responsible. We’ll continue to back all our employees, providing effective measures to support them in achieving balance between work and life, and fully realising their potential."
Ørsted is committed to enabling employees in pursuing career achievements while balancing family life, providing industry-leading leave and flexible work hours that go beyond labour standards. Regardless of gender, position, or work location, primary caregivers for newborns are entitled to 20 weeks of fully paid leave, while secondary caregivers are entitled to 12 weeks. Since this parental leave policy was introduced in 2023, it has been well received by the employees, with 70 % of parental leave applicants coming from male employees, demonstrating the policy’s effectiveness in supporting family care.
All Ørsted employees can utilise flexible working hours, work locations, and seven days of fully paid family care leave, allowing them to care for their families whenever needed, ensuring peace of mind. Furthermore, new hires at Ørsted Taiwan enjoy 21 days of paid annual leave, 20 days of fully paid sick leave, and 30 days of half-paid sick leave starting their first year. This ensures a well-rounded and supportive leave system to help employees relieve stress and maintain health and well-being.
Ørsted's focus on work-life balance for employees is also reflected in its diverse health promotion measures. The company offers an annual Flexible Benefits Plan to subsidise employees' participation in fitness courses or health check-ups. Moreover, the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provides employees with up to five in-person counselling sessions, parenting coaching, and stress-relief courses. From 2022 to 2023, more than 40 % of Ørsted Taiwan employees utilised this programme, far exceeding the industry average usage rate of 3-5 %, with a satisfaction rate reaching 90 %, underscoring the positive impact on employee well-being.
According to Ørsted's annual employee survey, nearly 90 % of employees expressed high loyalty to the company and strongly identified with the company's efforts in work-life balance. This affirmation will continue to motivate the company to enhancing a family-friendly, flexible work environment and supporting employees to fully realise their potential in building a greener future.
