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Lifting Women and Wellness Up at AmCham HK’s “Future of Work” Series

In 2025, it’s a welcome phenomenon that workplace wellbeing and women’s empowerment have reached their height of becoming business imperatives. More leaders are integrating them in firm-shaping strategies: how they attract talent, sustain growth, and build resilient cultures while staying competitive in the global market.

This is the core of the conversation at last American Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong’s September 2025 events for its “Future of Work” program, which Unified Global was honored to attend.

Our COO, TJ Taruc, joined two events, titled Wealth, Wellness & Workplace Wellbeing and Voice of Empowerment: WOI Awards Past Winners, which brought together senior leaders, innovators, and changemakers from across industries to discuss Asia’s future of work. From wellness and workplace culture to inclusion and leadership, the discussions delivered on AmCham HK’s mission to empower people and partners in the region.

Perks Become Performance Strategy with “Wealth, Wellness & Workplace Wellbeing”

Kicking off the “Future of Work” series last September 3, the first roundtable discussion was aimed at rethinking how organizations support their people in modern contexts. Present was Manus Chan, Senior VP for Consulting & Analytics at Lockton; Carrie Leung, HR Director of JLL Hong Kong; Ashley Palmer, Regional Managing Partner for Wealth Solutions from Aon APAC; Aditya Singh, Senior VP for HR at Colgate-Palmolive APAC; and Kannes Wong, Head of Strategy & Sustainability at Zurich HK.

One key highlight was when the table put forth: can financial wellness transcend from being an incentive to a full-fledged performance initiative?

In markets like Hong Kong, where talent competition is fierce, benefits gaps are often a tipping point for employee loss. What’s more, financial stress is cited as one of the top causes of reduced productivity in surveys of corporate employees in Asia.

In response, companies are increasingly tying benefits (e.g. retirement planning, ESG-aligned incentives) to retention, productivity, and mental health outcomes. This has yielded positive outcomes, as studies suggest organizations with holistic financial wellness programs see lower voluntary turnover, with high-stress factors decreasing by up to 15%.

As noted by our COO from the panel: “Instead of asking, ‘can we afford to offer this benefit?’ we should rather ask, ‘can we afford not to?’”

“Voice of Empowerment” Echoes Through Stewards of Influence

The program rolled on the following day, as AmCham HK pivoted to celebration and inspiration with a panel featuring Women of Influence (WOI) award alumni.

Speakers for the evening event included Anne Sawyer (International Montessori School, 2025 Leading Woman Entrepreneur), Trilby White (2024 WOI Entrepreneur), and Lena Wong (Womentors/HK Momtrepreneurs, 2025 Champion for Women). The talk was moderated by Belinda Esterhammer (The DO Asia).

These women figures spoke about journeys, pivots, failures, and the grit required to lead in sectors often dominated by legacy firms. They shared stories of overcoming self-doubt, embracing their achievements, and the power of community in boosting confidence.

A first-time attendee, TJ jotted: “It’s about time we go beyond just breaking glass ceilings. Women of today are more than able to reshape the architecture that holds entire buildings.”

About AmCham HK’s Women of Influence (WOI)

Since inception back in 2003, the WOI program has uplifted over 100 women leaders across sectors in Hong Kong, pushing inclusion and visibility in industries from finance to education. They recognize women trailblazers in categories like “Young Change Maker,” “Woman Change Maker in STEM,” “Leading Woman in Arts, Sports, and Leisure,” and “Woman Champion of Disadvantaged Groups and Minorities,” a field that represents a diverse range of cultures, ages, industries and perspectives

The Future of Work and the Global Path Forward

TJ’s attendance to the “Future of Work” series events was more pivotal than ceremonial. It was the sense of connection that she was happy to bring back home and reinforce within Unified Global's remote workplace.

Within the firm, financial wellness has long functioned as a lever for retention. From stock option education to emergency loans and tax planning tools, she sees financial literacy and security as untapped advantages that keep people engaged and reduce costly turnover.

However, that advantage must seep into the company culture. It cannot be bolted on as a perk, but rather, it has to be baked into the daily consultant experience. Benefits, recognition, and even leadership behavior should feel like part of the DNA of work.

Diversity and openness also surfaced as a critical takeaway for TJ. The willingness of the WOI panelists to share their struggles reminded her that storytelling could normalize challenges and strengthen trust.

“Difference fuels innovation, and building truly diverse teams will sharpen Unified’s edge in decision-making and adaptability,” TJ states in her synthesis.

Lastly, she also imbibed the importance of partnership. Vendors – whether they’re insurance providers, wellness platforms, or financial advisory firms – are not just external suppliers but extensions of the company’s culture.

Now that numerous partners – Alpha B Group, Teknergy, CoverDash, NOVA, and now Mt. Hood Tax & Accounting Professionals – have joined the fold, we now have the opportunity to unlock stronger ecosystems for employees, and to build stronger pipelines for leadership and coaching.

These takeaways create a clear direction for Unified Global. As a proud member of AmCham HK, TJ, and the rest of the executive team, are always honored to partake in discussions that propel workplace management further forward.

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