A working environment that supports well-being

A working environment that supports occupational well-being is a key factor in promoting the health and well-being of employees. Occupational health care is based on influencing occupational health and safety and working conditions and aims to extend careers and promote the management of work ability.

Over the past ten years, work has changed and involves more psychosocial stress. Work has become more demanding and the cognitive load has increased. The workload of occupational psychologists has increased and they are needed more than before. Occupational health care is perceived as being more for the individual, but there should be a stronger focus on influencing the working environment and the work community.

Mehiläinen’s occupational health care cooperation offers companies the opportunity to develop a working environment that supports the health of employees and prevents excessive stress.

Building the working environment

Planning the working environment often involves specialists from different fields, but it is easy to overlook the most important factor: the employee. Employees should be involved in the planning at an early stage. It is difficult and often expensive to repair a pre-built working environment, which is why the employees as well as the most suitable occupational health care specialist should be involved in the planning stages. The basic task of occupational health care is the improvement of working conditions and the prevention of problems. Early intervention helps to break vicious cycles and tackle issues before they turn into more serious problems.

Everyone is responsible for a healthy working environment

The employer’s representatives, supervisors and management are responsible for ensuring that the workplace enables safe work. However, the employees are equally responsible for their own everyday work and life as it impacts the well-being of the work community. The foundation of a functioning work community is psychological safety, which makes it possible to discuss work-related challenges and solve them together.

Building cooperation starts with dialogue and the identification of a clear need. Support needs may include, for example, the development of supervisor work or the feedback culture of the work community. Occupational health care cooperation at the work community level provides support for several people at the same time, and it is more cost-effective than treating problems at the individual level. Occupational health care cooperation also actively monitors how the jointly set goals have been implemented in the organisation and takes corrective action, when necessary.

Tapping into the experience and expertise of occupational health care specialists

According to a customer satisfaction survey commissioned by Mehiläinen, companies view occupational health care cooperation as a genuine partnership and cooperation opportunity. Our occupational health care specialists have extensive expertise and experience of different workplaces and working environments. We encourage companies to make space for a discussion about the work community and think about how occupational health care can provide the best possible help and support. The development of occupational well-being supports the goals of the business and the organisation, and can result in more efficient work, positive results and improved results in work atmosphere surveys.

The article was written on the basis of the Work environment supporting well-being section of Mehiläinen's webinar series Occupational health care cooperation — a necessary evil or an opportunity?