19 NOVEMBER2024W MAN LEADERGLOBAL W MAN LEADERGLOBAL Additionally, how do you navigate and overcome these challenges?If I reflect on my primary responsibility of keeping myself motivated and happy, I'm a strong advocate for mental health. I understand that many people, especially women, face mental health challenges due to the multiple roles they juggle--being mothers, wives, businesswomen, and workers--all while trying not to feel guilty about balancing them. Mental health is a significant priority for me, and at UDM International, I have several initiatives in place to address it. First, I've adjusted our working hours to better accommodate families, allowing employees to come to work but also get home early enough to spend time with their loved ones. I believe achieving a healthy work-life balance is essential. Secondly, we offer an in-house counselling program where employees can connect with a life coach to help them navigate life balance. We have a professional who leads group sessions to guide employees through this process. Most importantly, I've implemented a wellness program called 'Fit Flow' because I believe daily physical activity is crucial for maintaining mental well-being. To support this, we've built a gym at UDM where professional trainers lead workouts for our staff every day during lunch, and I join them. We also offer additional classes after work, and on Fridays, we do aerobic sessions where I choose my favourite music, and we dress up in 80s style to create a fun atmosphere. It's a great way to bring the team together and promote the importance of exercise for mental health. Additionally, I allocate fun-day budgets for each team to spend as they wish to boost morale. Another challenge we faced was during the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected many businesses in South Africa and globally. However, we quickly adapted, transitioning our entire organization to remote work within four days, providing all the necessary infrastructure for our staff to thrive from home.What has been your success mantra as a leader? What advice or words of wisdom would you like to share with aspiring women leaders? I always apply my mantra of being courageous and kind to every aspect of my life. For me, courage means speaking your mind respectfully, staying true to your values, and striving for excellence, while kindness involves taking care of yourself and treating others with respect. I believe in embodying these principles, which I have instilled in my daughters throughout their lives, that they have even chosen to have them tattooed. Courage means standing out with integrity and positivity, while kindness is about self-care and respecting everyone, regardless of their role. This approach leads to a meaningful, impactful life.
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