Diageo China supports employees during Shanghai lockdown

As the Omicron wave continues to prevail in Shanghai, the city is still in a state of lockdown. Diageo China has employed special measures to assist their employees during this difficult time.

In the midst of the country’s largest-ever Covid outbreak, the Shanghai government has rolled out a straight lockdown and all 25 million residents of the city are not allowed to leave home even to shop for groceriws. Many people have started to feel distressed from the restrictions as opposed to the symptoms of the virus, and reports emerged this week of people screaming from windows.

In view of the situation, Diageo China has announced special arrangements it has made for employees in Shanghai, including sending care packs of fresh food to the households of employees, as ordering groceries, especially fresh vegetables, is still a major issue encountered by many citizens.

Additionally, the company has arranged online seminars on dealing with emotions, and has established counselling hotlines for employees to reach out through in case of psychological issues caused by the lockdown policy.

For a limited period of time, the company has also unlocked all access to courses at the Diageo Bar Academy on their WeChat mini app. The courses cover content such as beverage knowledge, service know-hows and bar management and is tailored for industry professionals to hone their skills.

In 2020, Diageo launched a global programme named “Raising the Bar” to support pubs and bars. To date, Diageo China has already donated 14 million RMB to support more than 500 bars and restaurants in the country.

On Tuesday 12 April, 22,342 new Covid cases was reported in Shanghai, bringing the city’s total infections to around 227,000 since 1 March.