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In a featured interview with Human Resources, Dídia Gabriel, Communication & People Experience Director at Celfocus, shares how the company’s well-being strategy has evolved over 25 years, adapting to new realities, expanding internationally, fostering a culture of collaboration, and placing people at the heart of its growth.
Here’s the full interview transcription:
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Celfocus has followed a path marked by strategic milestones that have shaped its evolution within the technology sector. The company began operating in 2000 with a CRM project for Vodafone Portugal, establishing a strong connection with the telecommunications industry. “Since then, we have significantly grown our talent to meet the increasing demands of our clients, the diversification of industries, and expansion into other international geographies,” recalls Dídia Gabriel, Communication & People Experience Director.
One of the pillars behind the company’s growth has been its ability to attract, develop, and retain qualified talent. “We’ve had several key moments on this journey, but since we live in the present and always look ahead, I’d highlight our transition into innovation areas such as cognitive automation, advanced data analytics and digital transformation, with solutions increasingly driven by artificial intelligence.” To support this vision, the company has built strategic partnerships with global leaders like AWS, Google, and Microsoft, reinforcing its ability to help clients modernise their solutions.
Alongside geographic expansion and technological development, Celfocus has cultivated a collaborative model with its clients, based on co-creation, agile methodologies, and shared assets that “accelerate value delivery and maximise project impact.” “These milestones show our steady evolution, and today we are positioned as a strategic partner of reference,” she affirms.
Day 25 mean celebration
Rather than focusing solely on the anniversary itself - which Celfocus traditionally celebrates with its employees - this year the company created monthly initiatives to mark the 25th of each month.
The goal is to promote not only physical and mental well-being but also social well-being, by “fostering moments of reflection and awareness around healthy habits” and encouraging “opportunities for social connection and relaxation among colleagues”. “At the same time, we use these moments to bring people together in person at their workplaces, encouraging collaboration and building relationships — essential elements in boosting a sense of belonging and trust,” adds Dídia Gabriel.
One such ongoing initiative is the regular offering of fresh fruit and hot beverages in all offices. “We wanted to create something sustainable, aligned with our Social Responsibility and Diversity & Inclusion program — Acting with a Purpose.” For this, Celfocus partnered with Equal Food, an organisation that fights food waste by giving a second chance to fruit that, while nutritious, does not meet supermarkets' aesthetic standards.
To support physical relaxation and well-being, they organised a “massage day with therapists, which was a great success and will certainly be repeated.” To ensure energy and nourishment on in-office workdays, fridges and kitchens have been stocked with healthy snacks, including yoghurts and energy bars. These are just some of the initiatives already underway, with more planned.
Instead of hosting large, infrequent events, the Communication & People Experience Director highlights that the goal is to generate more regular impact celebrating “25 years of progress, talent, and lived experiences at Celfocus” while recognising and valuing its people. These initiatives, she adds, “have drawn more people back to the office and created excellent opportunities to reconnect and strengthen bonds.”
A strategy in continuous evolution
Over the years, Celfocus has added permanent benefits that support healthy habits for its 1,700 employees, responding to their evolving needs. “During the pandemic, mental health became a critical issue, so we strengthened our team of psychologists, a free resource we’ve kept to this day, as well as an in-house doctor, available twice a week for everyone,” Dídia exemplifies. “Different times call for different measures, which is why it’s essential to listen and understand the context our people are living in.”
With teams now back at the office, Celfocus has adapted its initiatives and recurring benefits accordingly. Its headquarters in Lisbon’s “Parque das Nações” has been leveraged by offering bikes and showers, enabling employees to “make the most of the location by exercising during lunch breaks or after work,” alongside organising physical activities like annual football and padel tournaments.
Ongoing communication and events throughout the year also play a key role in promoting well-being. This year, for example, internal discussions have already been held on topics like financial literacy and nutritional myths.
Across teams, knowledge sharing sessions, celebrations, and team-building activities are encouraged, often linked to the technologies or projects people are working on. These initiatives not only create shared knowledge and routines within project teams and communities of expertise but also help “establish internal role models who inspire and drive excellence.”
Among other benefits, “employees are offered three additional days of holiday per year,” to highlight the importance of personal time, and a health insurance plan that covers alternative therapies as well as nutrition consultations.
Naturally, with global teams, “offering a consistent experience for everyone is a challenge,” she notes. That’s why all initiatives are measured through participation rates and satisfaction levels (NPS), helping the organisation maintain an open dialogue with employees and better understand their needs and preferences.
“Our ecosystem currently includes 18 nationalities around the world, which means diversity, understanding and respect must guide how we design relevant, tailored initiatives,” she says. Beyond this ongoing monitoring, the company also conducts “an annual People Survey, which evaluates satisfaction across four dimensions: Culture, Leadership, Employee Experience, and Well-being”, enabling targeted action.
Convinced that balance is key, Dídia notes that the hybrid work model was implemented in 2021, with two days in the office and three from home. “We still believe this model benefits everyone, promoting a good balance between personal and professional priorities.”
While remote work is valuable for work-life balance, she acknowledges it can also lead to increased isolation and impact mental health. Highlighting the value of “human connection, closeness, learning and belonging, all of which are built through interaction with colleagues” she sees the hybrid model as the best of both worlds: “It allows each person to organise their routine with more autonomy, without losing the connection to the team and company culture.”
Supporting Leadership
Leadership is not overlooked. Aware of the demanding role they play, the company offers various resources and initiatives, with a particular focus on mental health awareness and prevention for team leaders and managers.
“One of the ways we address this is through training, promoting awareness and practical skill development,” she explains. Courses such as Environment and Health & Safety Training help ensure a safer, more conscious workplace environment. From a psychological perspective, Personal Balance and Burnout Prevention training equips leaders with tools and strategies to manage their own well-being, prevent burnout, and recognise warning signs within their teams.
Additionally, e-learning resources offer greater flexibility and access to relevant content for managing personal and emotional balance in the workplace. “By integrating these training sessions and resources, we aim not only to support our leaders’ mental health but also to empower them to create healthier, more conscious environments for their teams.”
The Communication & People Experience Director emphasises that the company’s well-being strategy has had a clear impact, particularly in attracting talent. “The new generations entering the workforce are more aware of the importance of mental health and work-life balance.” That’s why she believes companies that aim to attract this talent “must understand the value of having well-being initiatives throughout the employee journey.”
She stresses that “well-being is also built through a culture of collaboration and sharing.” Communication routines developed within teams, projects and communities of expertise “foster an environment of trust, continuous learning and mutual recognition, contributing to a strong sense of belonging and appreciation.”
According to Dídia Gabriel, this type of organisational culture has a direct impact on the company’s external reputation: “It makes Celfocus more appealing to those looking not only for professional challenges but also for a healthy, inspiring environment with opportunities for collective growth.”
In terms of employee engagement, retaining top talent is the result of “a continued commitment to a culture that supports ongoing development, constructive and regular feedback, and a meaningful employee journey.”
The company’s focus on delivering “a fulfilling experience, where each person feels recognised and challenged” is paying off, with employee turnover on the decline, “also reflecting current market conditions.” But what makes them most proud is “seeing so many people who’ve been part of Celfocus’s story become true ambassadors” of its culture, proudly sharing their experiences and, in many cases, choosing to return. “For us, that’s the most genuine proof that we’re making a positive impact,” she concludes.
Looking ahead, the goal is to empower people with tools they can use both professionally and personally. “We believe well-being comes from a healthy, stable career path with continuous feedback, learning and challenge, but also from ensuring each person has the time and energy to dedicate to their personal life, family and interests.” With that in mind, Celfocus will maintain its recurring event strategy focused on different dimensions of physical, emotional and social well-being, continuously reassessing the needs of both people and organisation to adjust initiatives “so they remain relevant and impactful. Well-being is a continuous commitment, and we want it to evolve alongside who we are.”
