The Business Case for Investing in
Women’s Employment in Lebanon
COMPANY INSIGHT
Malia Group
Fostering Productivity and Well-Being
Through Family-Friendly Policies
2022
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER NOTICE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
© 2022 The World Bank Group This company insight was prepared by Tala Mitwally, Yasmin
1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433 Mohamed, Yasmine Ossaily and Tamara Azar, based on the work of
Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org InfoPro sal. The publication benefited from inputs and comments by
Anita Gurgel, Jumana Jamal Subhi Alaref and Johannes G.Hoogeveen,
and was edited by David Wood. The work was conducted under the
SOME RIGHTS RESERVED general guidance of the Poverty and Equity Global Practice Manager
This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank Group (WBG). Johannes Hoogeveen and the leadership of the manager of the
The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this Gender and Economic Inclusion Group Henriette Kolb, supported
work do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors by the Mashreq Gender Facility team lead Jonna Lundwall, and
of The World Bank Group or the governments they represent. The Lebanon country lead Angela Elzir Assy.
World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included The company insight was prepared as part of the Mashreq Gender
in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other in- Facility (MGF). This Facility provides technical assistance to Iraq,
formation shown on any map in this work do not imply any judg- Jordan and Lebanon to strengthen the enabling environment for
ment on the part of The World Bank Group concerning the legal women’s economic participation and improve women’s access to
status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such economic opportunities. The MGF is a World Bank - IFC initiative
boundaries. in collaboration with the governments of Canada and Norway.
It is mainly supported by the Umbrella Facility for Gender Equali-
RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS ty (UFGE) with contributions from the governments of Australia,
Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Netherlands,
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2022. The business case for investing in women’s employment in
Lebanon, Company Insight Malia Group: Addressing the benefits of
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2
FOREWORD BY THE WORLD BANK GROUP
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank are partnering with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agricul-
ture of Beirut and Mount-Lebanon (CCIA-BML) to help remove barriers to women’s participation in Lebanese workplaces and build a
community of companies dedicated to hiring, retaining, and promoting women.
Since September 2019, Lebanon has seen its largest economic crisis, negatively affecting business activities at all levels. This has been
exacerbated by the massive explosion that rocked the Port of Beirut last year and the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, these have left
more than 50,000 more women in Lebanon unemployed, compared to 2018/2019. Lebanon also has among the lowest female labor
force participation rates in the world, at 25 percent compared to 76 percent in men. That wide gap has deep social and economic im-
plications. We at the World Bank Group recognize that access to economic opportunities is essential for both men and women to live
dignified lives and become active social agents.
Attracting, retaining, and promoting women is also good for companies. It allows them to harness talent, making them more productive
and competitive. In the bigger picture, raising female employment contributes to economic growth and supports poverty reduction. Our
recently published State of Mashreq Women Flagship Report found that if Lebanon raised its female labor force participation rate to 31
percent, its annual economic growth rate would increase by 1.1 percentage points by 2035. Amid the ravages of COVID-19 and the econom-
ic crisis, boosting female employment would act as a catalyst for Lebanon’s economy, making it stronger and more inclusive.
As difficult as the past two years have been for Lebanon, it has allowed us to re-imagine workplaces and reflect on what those mean for
Lebanon’s women. We have been inspired by the agility of some Lebanese companies who have shifted to more flexible, healthy, and
inclusive work models, responsive to women’s needs.
Under a platform created with CCIA-BML, we have launched a series of company insights to showcase Lebanese companies that have
created more gender-responsive workplaces. These highlight three thematic areas:
· Promoting anti-sexual harassment policies at the workplace, based on the experience of the Holdal Abou Adal Group,
· Fostering productivity and well-being through family-friendly policies, as Malia Group is doing, and
· Promoting and supporting women in leadership positions, as exemplified by ITG Holding.
We hope these company insights will inspire other businesses in Lebanon to develop and test similar solutions and create more gen-
der-aware and responsive work environments. Our utmost gratitude to CCIA-BML for championing this important agenda and to the
three participating companies for generously sharing their data and good practices. Thanks also to the governments of Canada and
Norway for supporting the five-year Mashreq Gender Facility, through which we are launching these cases studies, alongside the gov-
ernments of Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan who work directly with the MGF on translating country commitments and plans into actions
on the ground.
Saroj Kumar Jha Abdullah Jefri
Regional Director, Middle East Department Regional Manager
Middle East and North Africa Region Levant Countries
The World Bank International Finance Corporation
3
FOREWORD BY THE PARTNER: THE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE
IN BEIRUT AND MOUNT LEBANON (CCIA-BML)
As we write this foreword, we cannot help but think about how CCIA-BML have joined forces with the International Finance Cor-
exceptionally challenging this past year and a half have been for poration to regularly convene, engage and thereby build a com-
businesses, employees and particularly for women in Lebanon. It munity of companies that is committed to hiring, retaining, and
is with a strong sense of urgency - but also with much optimism promoting women.
and hope - that CCIA-BML has decided to address challenges to
It is under that initiative that we have launched a series of compa-
women’s participation in the workplace, while aiming to also re-
ny insights, that profile Lebanese companies who are committed
verse the recent setbacks that working women in Lebanon have
to advancing women in their company’s workforce. The compa-
experienced as a result of the COVID19 pandemic, the economic
ny insights feature three of the chamber’s members, that are pro-
crisis and the Port of Beirut blast.
moting greater inclusion of women in their workforce in three
Even before the crisis, only 23 percent of Lebanon’s working-age thematic areas: (1) Supporting women in leadership roles, as Ma-
women were actively participating in the workforce, compared lia Group is doing; (2) Anti-Harassment Policies at the Workplace
to 76 percent of Lebanon’s men. What holds women back in the as Holdal Abou Adal Group and (3) Family Friendly Policies at the
workplace - here in Lebanon as elsewhere in the world - is widely Workplace as ITG Group is doing. Our aim is that these company
known. It is among many factors; the burden of domestic care, insights will reach many businesses in Lebanon and help them
elderly and childcare, lack of inappropriate transportation, a better understand the business benefits of employing women,
lack of workplace security and socially constructed stereotypes get insights into the approaches that work, and learn from each
about the types of jobs and sector women can work and advance other’s experiences while replicating solutions.
in. The ongoing multiple crises have exacerbated some of these
On behalf of CCIA-BML, we would like to thank the three compa-
challenges for women and is further holding them back or even
nies that participated in this project and generously shared their
forcing them out. It is with this understanding that CCIA-BML
data and good practices. We at the Chamber are committed to
has decided to work on raising the currently low labor force par-
continuing our partnership to work with businesses in Leba-
ticipation of women in Lebanon. This is so very critical to Leba-
non towards creating equal employment opportunities, decent
non’s economic growth path. If Lebanon raised its female labor
working conditions, and lucrative career paths for women, and
force participation from currently 26 to 31 percent, as the govern-
we will continue to do more.
ment has committed itself to in 2019, Lebanon’s annual econom-
ic growth would be increased by 1.1 points.
We, at the Chamber, know that harnessing the untapped talent
pool of the many well-educated women in Lebanon is a critical
contributor to boosting the competitiveness and productivity
of Lebanese companies and to Lebanon’s long-term econom-
ic growth. Equally, getting and keeping more women in jobs
creates career and income opportunities for them and there- Mohamad Nizar Choucair
Chairman, The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and
by enhances their agency and decision-making. As such, we at
Agriculture of Beirut and Mount-Lebanon1
1 The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount-Lebanon (CCIA-BML) is a non-profit private organization working for the public benefit.
Established in 1887, the CCIA-BML is the main among the four Lebanese Chambers that operate based on Decree Law 67/36 enacted in 1967. The membership roster
of the Chamber includes around 15,000 enterprises located in Beirut and Mount Lebanon. The CCIA-BML aims at stimulating economic activity and creating a
strong and competitive national economy that is socially inclusive. As such, the Chamber has supported and continues to support the mainstreaming of gender
equality by establishing strong partnerships with associations and organizations of the private sector and civil society, especially those working on gender.
4
A Summary of Malia
Group’s Workforce &
The business case for Business Profile
investing in women’s
employment in Lebanon
Malia Group
Fostering productivity and
well-being through family-
Total Number of Employees in
Lebanon: 706
friendly policies Summary of female employees:
· 48% of all employees
Family-Friendly Work in · 63% of the Executive Committee
Lebanon: An Overview · 52% of senior managers
· 50% of lower middle management
· 55% of lower management
International research indicates that family-friendly work arrangements offer mu-
tual gains for businesses and their employees. Workers with children – many of
whom are women – can thrive at work when benefiting from initiatives like child- Summary of key initiatives:
care services, flexible working hours, and work-from-home opportunities (ILO, · Clear and vast policies that ensure
2015). Such policies contribute positively to employees’ emotional well-being, alle- equality between men and women
viating the stress of balancing family and work obligations, while also increasing at the workplace
their capacity to advance their careers (ILO, 2015). For their part, businesses that · Family-friendly work arrange-
invest in family-friendly policies tend to enjoy higher staff retention rates, reduced ments
absenteeism, improved productivity, and greater workplace diversity. · Open Door policy to encourage
transparent communication
At present, Lebanese businesses have plenty of scope for improvement in pro-
between employees and manage-
viding family-friendly work conditions. In other countries, companies have in- ment
creasingly perceived value in accommodating the family obligations of work- · Childcare support, including flexi-
ers, which unlocks a range of commercial benefits (University of Kansas, 2021). ble work arrangements
In Lebanon, however, employees typically receive little support in their dual · Financial support, including subsi-
roles as income-earners and caregivers. Lebanese labour law does not require dizing day care centres’ fee
companies to observe comprehensive, family-friendly policies. Furthermore,
mandatory maternity leave was added to Lebanon’s Labour Code in 1994 and,
Summary of business benefits
at the time, gave women the right to take seven paid weeks off from work
related to family-friendly policies:
after giving birth, which was later extended to 10 weeks in 2014. This accords
with international corporate trends indicating that smaller businesses tend to · Workforce Retainment
comply with national laws, rather than moving beyond minimum legislative · Increased Productivity
standards (UNICEF, 2020). · Sustainability of Positive Work
Environment
5
Inevitably, the general lack of family-friendly work arrangements goods distribution, technology and management solutions,
in Lebanon has a disproportionate impact on female employees. fashion, engineering and contracting, and hospitality and real
As in many other countries, Lebanese social norms still place estate. The Group is headquartered in Lebanon and has branch-
women as the expected primary caregiver for children. The fact es in seven countries in the Levant, North Africa, and GCC coun-
that relatively few Lebanese companies have instituted fami- tries. Between 2013 and 2014, the Malia Group began to institute
ly-friendly policies contributes the country’s male-dominated various corporate governance policies, including family-friendly
labour force, of which females make up just 25 percent (World work arrangements for employees.
Bank, 2019). This denies Lebanon’s private sector of the many
Women play a central role in the Malia Group’s operations. The
benefits of having gender-diverse workplaces. For example, the
company currently has 706 employees 2 – 48 percent of whom are
World Economic Forum found that higher female labour par-
women. Ninety-one percent of the workforce are junior employ-
ticipation rates can lead to increased salaries for both men and
ees and 9 percent are managers, senior managers and directors.
women, as well as improved productivity (World Economic Fo-
Forty-two percent of the employees at the Malia Group are 30
rum, 2018).
years old or younger, 54 percent are 60 years old or younger and 4
This company insight explores how one Lebanese company, the percent are over 60 years old. Approximately 15 percent of female
Malia Group, has benefited from providing employees with fam- employees at the Malia Group have children.
ily-friendly work arrangements. The Malia Group has introduced
a range of affordable and practical policies that support parents
in the workplace without compromising the company’s profit Why Malia Group?
margins. The company insight was compiled using in-depth in- The World Bank Group (WBG) had conducted several interviews
terviews and focus group discussions with employees of Malia with leading Lebanese private sector companies that could be
Group, as well as analysis of the company’s HR data. Data col- the subject of this study. Based on a selected set of criteria such
lection included ten interviews with employees from senior and as company policies and availability of quantitative HR data,
mid-level management (six women and four men), as well as company gender diversity efforts on relevant topics, previous ex-
two focus group discussions with junior workers (one with five perience with the WBG in particular the IFC Gender team, size of
women and the other with five men). The sample size however is the company. Malia Group proved to be a prominent Lebanese
not statistically significant and cannot be used to draw definite private sector company that has made great strides towards
conclusions but rather provides anecdotal evidence on the topic gender diversity, in particular family-friendly policies at the
of this study. workplace. As such, Malia Group was selected to be the subject
of this company insight.
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Established in 1936, the Malia Group evolved over time from a
single pharmacy in Tripoli, North Lebanon into a wide-reaching
medical supply distributor. During the following decades, the
Malia Group increased the national coverage of its pharmaceu-
tical manufacturing operations. Pharmaline, a flagship subsidi-
ary of the Malia Group, was founded in 1987 to market and sell
pharmaceutical products. Since then, Pharmaline has become a
trusted licensee for multinational companies and a major player
in the Lebanese pharmaceuticals market.
Today, the Malia Group is a conglomerate of 27 companies with
2 Workforce data used in this company insight (provided by the company)
operations across various sectors, including industry, consumer reflects the composition of the workforce at the end of 2020.
6
HOW MALIA GROUP SUPPORTS
FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORK
Through family-friendly work policies, the Malia Group’s man-
agement strives to accommodate parents’ individual needs and
circumstances, while also ensuring the company’s continued
productivity. This flexible approach requires a company-wide
THE BUSINESS CONTEXT FOR
commitment to diversity, which is enshrined in the Malia Group’s
SUPPORTING FAMILY-FRIENDLY Code of Conduct. Under this guiding document, all employees
WORKING PRACTICES must respect the individuality of other staff members –includ-
ing their family situations and needs. Senior management and
The Malia Group has made concerted efforts to promote gender
HR personnel must respond appropriately to requests for fam-
diversity within the workplace, including in non-traditional roles
ily-friendly accommodations; similarly, other employees must
for women. Overall, the Malia Group enjoys impressive rates of fe-
not discriminate against colleagues who receive support for
male labour force participation. Almost half (48 percent) of total
employees are women, while females comprise 63 percent of the their parental obligations.
executive committee and 52 percent of senior management roles. Beyond the Code of Conduct, the Malia Group has instituted var-
The Malia Group’s high proportion of female managers measures ious specific policies that provide a more comfortable environ-
favorably against global trends in any sector. Indeed, even in ment for working mothers and fathers.
the beauty industry – which is regarded as one of the most gen-
der-diverse industries worldwide – the Malia Group comfortably
Leave Entitlements
exceeds the international average of 29 percent for women hold-
ing board and executive positions (LedBetter, 2016). The Malia The Malia Group fully complies with all parental leave require-
Group reports that it has been actively pursuing strategies to at- ments under Lebanese law, providing ten paid weeks of mater-
tract more female applicants for its traditionally male-dominat- nity leave and one paid day of paternity leave. While not a formal
ed operations, such as production. Family-friendly work arrange- policy, focus group discussions revealed that Malia Group is also
ments play an important role in the Malia Group’s strategies for extremely supportive of staff members who request to take per-
retaining female employees, given that many women balance sonal leave. Under this informal arrangement, employees may
caregiving and work responsibilities. request leave to deal with pressing non-work obligations, which
are often family-related. Reasons for taking personal leave might
include caring for a loved one, attending a funeral, or attending
a doctor’s appointment. Participants in focus group discussions
“We believe in women’s capacity
stated that the Malia Group demonstrates an understanding
and empowerment. I am the
and receptive attitude towards personal leave requests.
example and they believed in
me, as I joined Pharmaline 30
years ago as a regulatory affairs
Flexible Office Hours
officer and, with hard work and
encouragement, eventually The Malia Group provides its employees with opportunities
ascended to a top management for flexible working hours, subject to prior notice and approval
position.” from the employee’s direct managers. In some instances, man-
agement has institutionalized these accommodations -- in of-
Carol Abi Karam, General Manager at Pharmaline-
fice-based roles, for example, employees can decide whether
Malia Group
to start at 8:00 or 9:00am each day. Flexible start-times can
7
help Malia Group employees to attend to childcare tasks, such on a case-by-case assessment. HR management noted that the
as getting children ready for childcare or school in the morning. Malia Group had previously explored the idea of creating an in-
More generally, employees can benefit from flexible working house nursery for employees’ children, which the company may
hours in a less structured format – that is, they can simply notify revisit when Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis eases.
a manager when they would like to rearrange their working day
In addition, the Malia Group has created a lactation room at
slightly. Malia Group management tends to accommodate these
head office, where mothers can pump milk in private.
requests, especially if staff members are meeting their workload
and submitting deliverables on schedule.
“Women and men have their
flexibility in [terms of] time to go and
pick up their kids from kindergarten
or leave early to teach their children.”
Mario Akl, General Manager at MaliaTec - Malia Group
Remote Work
Where possible, the Malia Group provides employees with the op-
“We at Malia Group provide financial
tion of working from home, which can allow parents to care for
support. During the crisis, %70
their children during office hours. This policy has become especial-
of the people who applied for aid
ly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many employ-
were women. All applications were
ees needed to supervise children throughout the day as schools
approved. Some of their husbands
were closed. Female staff interviewed particularly appreciated the
lost their jobs and others had new
opportunity to work remotely, given that it directly contributed to
born babies.”
balancing their dual roles of working and parenting. Mario Akl, General Manager at MaliaTec - Malia Group
Naturally, each remote work request will hinge on the business
needs of the company. Some departments, including production
and manufacturing, obviously require most staff members to at- BUSINESS BENEFITS OF MALIA
tend work in person. Moreover, while many employees appreci- GROUP’S INVESTMENT IN FAMILY-
ate the flexibility of working from home, others prefer to work in
FRIENDLY WORKPLACE POLICIES
the comfortable office environment.
Introducing family-friendly policies has had several positive im-
pacts on the Malia Group’s business operations, including the
Childcare Support & Lactation Room following:
The Malia Group has instituted several policies to support par-
ents while they are working on site. All staff members benefit
Staff Retention
from discounted fees (up to 50 percent) at selected kindergar-
tens and nurseries that are located close to the company’s head- Retaining employees is critical to the overall productivity and ef-
quarters. Outside official policies, management and HR under- ficiency of any company. Recruitment and trainings present sig-
take to cover 100 percent of nursery fees for employees who are nificant additional costs to businesses when they need to replace
deemed to be suffering from dire financial circumstances, based leaving staff members with new employees.
8
Several staff members at the Malia Group said that they would
never consider leaving the company due to the treatment they “Throughout the years that I have
receive from management. The company’s HR data indicates been working for Malia Group, they
that, in 2020, none of the employees who left the company had always appreciated me and my work,
resigned to switch to another company in the same sector. In- and vice versa. I feel that I have so
stead, staff commonly left to make a career change (around much more to give to this company.”
30%) or due to health issues (around 10%). Lebanon’s economic
Charbel Kozaily, Production Manager at Cosmaline -
and political turmoil has also driven some Malia Group staff to re-
Malia Group
sign, as several employees left the company to emigrate to other
countries.
Company Reputation and Hiring Benefits
Several respondents believed that the Malia Group’s reputation
“The company was very supportive
as a supportive employer of women had improved the business’
in regards to my pregnancy and
overall corporate image. In addition, they also indicated that
management tried to decrease the
this strong reputation had contributed to large numbers of ap-
work load on me. I feel that I am safe
plicants for each vacancy. The Malia Group’s recruitment data
at this company.”
shows a recent increase in the numbers of applicants, up from
Rita Ghossen, Production Supervisor at Pharmaline - 882 in 2019 to 1,211 in 2020, with a higher uptake from women
Malia Group compared to the past 2 years, especially in usually male-dom-
inated departments. This trend has occurred despite a reduced
number of job vacancies in the past year.
During interviews and focus groups, female employees re-
ported that family-friendly working arrangements and gender
equality initiatives had played a key role in staff motivation
and retention rates which has been between 90-92% in 2019
and 2020.3
Reduced Absenteeism
Malia Group management reported that absenteeism rates have
dropped since the company introduced family-friendly work ar-
rangements around late 2019-early 2020, especially in the manu-
facturing team. HR data indicates that Malia Group has enjoyed
a 20% reduction in staff absences compared with 2019. Company
leaders ascribed stronger staff attendance levels to high motiva-
tion amongst employees, which made them less inclined to skip
work.
3 Compared to other private sector employers the WBG has studied for similar
company insights in Lebanon, Malia Group’s retention rate falls in the middle
of the range found for years 2019 and %94-85( 2020).
9
LESSONS LEARNED
Malia Group’s family-friendly policies have become an essential
part of the business and represent an added value for the com-
pany and employees alike. Crucially, the Malia Group views pro-
viding family-friendly arrangements as an investment, rather
than an obligation or burden. Although the Malia Group is a
major conglomerate, the company’s experiences bear lessons
for both large and small businesses seeking to make parents
more comfortable in the workplace.
Increased Productivity
Lead by example. The Malia Group is known for its gender-di-
Malia Group management reports that family-friendly policies verse approach, which is reflected in the high representation
have enabled parents to work more productively. Allowing em- of women on the company’s staff. Respondents repeatedly
ployees to handle family matters means that they can be more asserted that both women and men felt that the company
focused during work hours, reducing distractions from conflict- sincerely supported them and their families, which made them
ing duties, such as being caregivers. At Malia Group, a culture of perceive their overall workplace experience in a positive light.
gender diversity is deemed essential and considered a benefit,
Communicate effectively. Malia Group employees, both men
which contributes to the productivity of both female and male
and women, do not hesitate to come forward with their concerns.
employees. In general, research findings have shown that diver-
A two-way, open communication mechanism is used to discuss
sity and inclusion improve team cohesion and help a company
and resolve any issue related to balancing the staff’s personal life
achieve success (McKinsey, 2020). and their responsibilities at work. With enough information and
mutual trust, businesses can strike an effective balance between
an employee’s personal and workplace responsibilities.
Sustaining a Positive Work Environment
Invest in low-cost solutions. According to the Malia Group’s
During the interview process, management repeatedly referred
HR department, family friendly policies need not be expensive.
to Malia Group’s commitment to fostering a positive work en- Family-friendly arrangements like remote work and flexible
vironment. One interviewee highlighted the support given to hours do not require significant financial investment, especial-
women within the company, and others spoke of how women ly if management and staff can work to maintain each employ-
had risen from low-level positions to senior management. Fur- ee’s productivity levels.
ther, several employees referred to the fact that they felt “com-
Secure management buy-in. Family-friendly policies cannot
fortable” working at Malia Group due to the company’s support-
succeed without genuine buy-in from a company’s manage-
ive approach. One respondent claimed that there was no gender
ment team. The Malia Group has managed to implement effec-
gap in terms of salary at Malia Group and numerous respondents
tive policies to support parents because senior leadership truly
and focus group participants indicated that women were pro-
believes in both the social and economic benefits of doing so.
moted on merit.
Set objectives and monitor them. Malia Group’s HR depart-
ment stressed the importance of setting short term, achiev-
able objectives such as successfully introducing family-friendly
“I don’t believe that there are any
policies, reducing absenteeism or improving retention, and
obstacles that women face at then monitoring if those objectives have been achieved. This
Malia Group, because this company review process means that a company can identify whether
believes in gender equality.” each family-friendly policy is performing effectively, from both
Female employee at Malia Group social and economic perspectives.
10
“The company hired a female as a manufacturing supervisor. This hasn’t
happened before during the last thirty to thirty-five years. Now, they gave the
trust to a female to do the job that has always been thought to be for men.”
Cibelle Aboud, Production Supervisor at Malia Group
CONCLUSION
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the fundamental importance of allowing employees to manage their personal and work
obligations simultaneously. When the pandemic forced working mothers and fathers to find solutions for children confined to their
homes, the Malia Group was already prepared. Having proudly operated as a family-friendly employer for several years, the company
swiftly offered helpful benefits to staff members, including financial assistance with childcare costs, flexible working hours, and the
establishment of lactation rooms. These supportive policies have helped the Malia Group to maintain high staff retention levels, even
amidst a global pandemic and Lebanon’s crippling economic crisis.
Because ensuring a family-friendly workplace is an ongoing journey, the company intends to revisit other relevant policies that were
temporarily put on hold due to the pandemic. These include establishing an employee rewards system and building an in-house nurs-
ery. Already, however, the Malia Group has demonstrated that other businesses stand to reap handsome rewards from creating condi-
tions for strong employee performance – measured both inside and outside the workplace.
11
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