This is how work can be organized in a healthy way

The world of work is changing. Mobile and flexible working have become the norm in many places. This brings with it new freedoms, but also new challenges. The professional activity no longer clocks the complete weekly rhythm, the balance between work and leisure time is becoming more important. The new forms of work require trust and commitment from both the company and its employees. A new orientation is needed on both sides. Among other things, this involves clarifying expectations, open communication and responsible self-management.

Irene Etzer-Hofer is the head of the BGM department at the Health Department of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and works in research, teaching and practice on the subject of occupational health management (BGM). In this role, she also deals with the practical implementation of WHM for the around 350 employees in the department on a daily basis. If you want to talk to the expert, you need patience, she has a lot to do.

Ms. Etzer-Hofer, how are you doing given the workload?

(Laughs) I’m fine because my work is interesting and varied. And you know it’s good for your health. But of course it is also challenging for me to find a balance between workload and resources. With the pandemic, developments in the world of work have accelerated enormously. As a result, our activities in occupational health management have again become more of a general focus.

Can you name specific measures that you implement in OHM?

In addition to the ongoing health promotion offers such as exercise, relaxation, back offers and psychological advice, we also have new programs to develop skills for New Work – for employees and for managers. The general framework conditions have become particularly important. We now have several “Codes of Conduct” on various topics. These are simple guidelines that serve as a kind of compass for cooperation for everyone involved. Such an orientation framework exists, for example, for the use of the existing work environment at the place of work, for the handling of meetings or for working from home. In dialogue events, their content is discussed on a broad level.

What is specifically addressed in these guidelines, for example?

In general, it contains explanations of how work can be organized in a targeted and healthy manner. The “Code of Conduct – Meetings” includes, for example, that the teams define when meetings will take place virtually, when in presence mode or hybrid – or when as part of walks. The “Code of Conduct – Home Office” states, among other things, that the teams should decide which mix of home office and presence at the workplace is best suited. Such a mix can also deviate from the general recommendation for each of these two forms of work to be divided equally. This is important, because there are of course different circumstances and requirements in our various areas of responsibility, such as teaching, research or administration.

How much has OHM changed as a result?

At the ZHAW Health Department, there are additional starting points both at company level and for the employees themselves. In March of this year, we surveyed the concrete need for this with our second survey on the topics of work and health. We then presented the results at our HR day, discussed them with employees and jointly set priorities for future measures. On this basis, we are now supplementing our existing and proven offers with activities that are also integrated into the processes of organizational development in the department. Incidentally, in our university setting, we are now also very strongly committed to the topic of “student health management”. The conditions and requirements of the learning world have changed as a result of digitization, as have those in the world of work. We also address these issues with a systematic WHM approach.

This is Friendly Work Space

The “Friendly Work Space” label sets the Swiss quality standard for systematically implemented company health management (BGM), which is supported by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) and the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG). The label is issued by the Health Promotion Switzerland Foundation, which is supported by the cantons and insurers and has a statutory mandate.

«Systematically implemented company health management is also financially worthwhile for a company due to the preventive effect and measures to quickly reintegrate employees. WHM and especially the label ‘Friendly Work Space’ also have an attractive effect on job seekers, which is an advantage for companies when it comes to recruitment. With Apprentice, Health Promotion Switzerland offers an offer for vocational training to promote the mental health of learners,” says Thomas Brändli, Project Manager Communication BGM.

The “Friendly Work Space” label sets the Swiss quality standard for systematically implemented company health management (BGM), which is supported by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) and the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG). The label is issued by the Health Promotion Switzerland Foundation, which is supported by the cantons and insurers and has a statutory mandate.

«Systematically implemented company health management is also financially worthwhile for a company due to the preventive effect and measures to quickly reintegrate employees. WHM and especially the label ‘Friendly Work Space’ also have an attractive effect on job seekers, which is an advantage for companies when it comes to recruitment. With Apprentice, Health Promotion Switzerland offers an offer for vocational training to promote the mental health of learners,” says Thomas Brändli, Project Manager Communication BGM.

What developments are new?

Digitization has led to new forms of work. Work is now more flexible in many industries, it is less dependent on time and place, which in turn has an impact on the type of collaboration. As a result, employees can work more independently. That’s positive. But you also have to motivate and manage yourself to a greater extent. Companies should provide support and provide guidance on how to work towards the desired goals and how these can also be achieved.

How do you encourage dealing with the blurring boundaries between work and private life?

Commuting between different places of work, the company and one’s own home will remain. The employees deal differently with the dissolving boundaries between work and private life and with supposed constant availability. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. We therefore address various approaches in our training courses and communication activities. Interactive workshops are also important to us. Our employees already have a very high level of health literacy. However, knowledge alone is often not enough to change certain behaviors in a way that promotes health. Self-reflection and active exchange with work colleagues from a similar professional environment provide better support in the long term. The topic of demarcation also flows into our corporate culture formats. Without the involvement of managers, work teams and company management, there are no viable solutions.

How do you deal with the topic of stress and increasing workloads?

Our life is generally getting faster and faster and is tightly timed. The results of current studies are therefore not surprising. They show that stress in working life has also increased. Stress is actually quite bearable as a rule – if enough recovery phases are possible. And when there are resources at work in addition to the burdens. Healthy flexibility and personal responsibility can lead to greater job satisfaction. As well as a stimulating working atmosphere and development opportunities. Our package of measures therefore includes elements of corporate culture as well as offers to expand individual skills and support in difficult situations.

How can you strengthen your own resilience?

There are many starting points. Rest and regular breaks are very important. By prioritizing tasks and consciously planning stress-free times and physical activities, you also relieve pressure. With mindfulness exercises you learn to recognize stressful situations early and to react accordingly. And finally, social contacts are a key resilience factor.

How are new WHM measures anchored in the company?

We have been a “Friendly Work Space” label company since 2014. The continuous and evidence-based further development of OHM is important for our university. In line with the quality criteria on which the label is based, we can design our WHM more systematically and thus achieve more impact. The participation of the employees is just as important an element as the strategic anchoring in the Department of Health. With regular surveys, we ensure that the measures are tailored to specific needs and that they take into account both the working conditions and the development of our employees.

Does the “Friendly Work Space” label pay off?

The “Friendly Work Space” label makes us attractive both as an employer and as a university for students. WHM is also part of our teaching and research – in this way we sensitize future employees to the importance of WHM for health and job satisfaction.