Mehiläinen is participating in the occupational mental health programme of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

Problems related to the work community and working conditions are often manifested as individual symptoms. It is very important to support exhausted employees and those struggling with mental health issues, but more and more help is needed at the community level and related to empowerment to solve problems where ideal or poor occupational well-being occurs, i.e. in the workplace. A lot of benefits can be achieved in the daily lives of workplaces and work communities through the systematic development of working conditions, supervisory work and psychological safety.

The operating model “Mental health-supporting occupational health care cooperation” developed by Mental Health Finland and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health strengthens the cooperation between companies and occupational health care, supports the development and implementation of effective methods and promotes the significance of organisational representation and the community as a means of mental health support. Many problems that have a negative effect on occupational well-being can be solved without demanding and miraculous actions. In most cases, a joint discussion and the willingness to develop and commit to building a culture that cares about people is enough. Read more about the operating modelExternal link.

Work community-oriented occupational health negotiation model developed by Mehiläinen strengthens occupational health care cooperation

In order to strengthen occupational health care cooperation, Mehiläinen has developed the work community-oriented occupational health negotiation model, which allows us to create a better common picture of the situation with the organisation, support the supervisors' work and find ways to manage work ability risks in a way that serves both employees and the workplace. This has already led to excellent results in reducing mental health-related sickness-related absences and strengthening supervisory work.

“The feedback from workplaces has been that they have become better at solving their own challenges. Occupational well-being, whether good or bad, takes place at work, so of course it makes a huge difference how the work goes,” says Jouki Ratilainen, Occupational Health Care Specialist.

The model has been used by Mehiläinen and developed by the occupational health care and Mehiläinen's HR Director. In concrete negotiation situations, present are the supervisor and their supervisor, a HR representative, occupational health care representatives and, if necessary, occupational safety and health representatives. The new model has reduced the costs of occupational health care and the number of sickness-related absences and the general impression has been that the well-being of workplaces has improved.

“The best way to support the occupational well-being of the work community is to give the work community opportunities for influence. They can be seen with their own challenges and they are able to participate in the development of their own well-being,” says Jaana Lamberg, Director of Mehiläinen's Shared HR services.

Supervisors feel that the new negotiation model comprehensively supports supervisory work and the work community. The best thing about the model is that there is more cooperation and difficult issues do not have to be solved alone. Negotiations are conducted remotely via Teams, and supervisors have found it easy that several parties are present in the same negotiation to solve a problem that has previously been solved separately by each party. All of this has a preventive effect on the occupational well-being of the entire work community.

“Compliance with the model is reflected in the work community as increased well-being and better coping at work as well as increased employee involvement in relation to carrying out personal duties. The employees feel more strongly that they are part of a team and, as a supervisor, I am asked what I need in order to lead the work community as well as possible,” says Kirsi Lamminaho, Service Manager of Familar Outpatient Services in Mehiläinen Central Finland.

Watch a video about the cooperation:

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