Workplace well-being efforts are visible in Fortum’s daily operations; these efforts support our strategic goals and are an integral part of management. Fortum’s own ForCare well-being at work programme aims to promote work safety, support the working capacity of employees throughout their career, and promote the well-being of the work community. We have a strategic and comprehensive approach to well-being at work.
Managing well-being at work has a clear impact on the company’s competitiveness. When the well-being of employees is good, productivity increases and work disabilities and the costs associated with them decrease. The well-being at work programme encourages and supports our employees to take care of their physical, mental and social health and their work-life balance.
From 2016 onwards employee well-being index is one of the Group-level sustainability key performance indicators, and its development is monitored regularly.
ForCare work well-being themes
Fortum adopted global ForCare themes in 2015. The purpose of the themes is to strengthen and harmonise work well-being activities in all countries where Fortum operates. In connection with the 2015 themes of “activeness and energy” and “positive feedback and interaction” that were on the agenda at team meetings, a variety of lectures, well-being events and activity contests were held. The themes for 2016 will be “recovery and sleep” and “activeness and energy”.
A new tool being adopted at the beginning of 2016 in the ForCare work well-being programme is the HeiaHeia online and mobile app. In virtually all countries where we operate HeiaHeia offers a wealth of wellness content to motivate users to live a healthier lifestyle, to record physical and wellness activities, to encourage colleagues, and to participate in team-spirit initiatives.
Another focus area in 2016 is the management of sick leave absences and particularly the supervisors’ early support model for illness-related absences and other work capacity challenges. The sick leave-related absences at Fortum have been at a good level 2.4 % (Group-wide in 2014), and we want to maintain this good level.
Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment targets stress and recovery
Fortum uses Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment, a solution based on the measurement of heart rate variability. In the lifestyle assessment, small sensors are attached to a person’s chest to measure and record the heart rate variability data around the clock for a period of 3–5 days.
Individuals undergoing the assessment make diary entries to help them understand the kinds of things in their daily life that stress or restore their body. The assessment period should include both workdays and days off.
Everyone participating in a lifestyle assessment receives a personal report on their assessment results, profiling the body’s resources, the adequacy and effectiveness of exercise, and the degree of recovery. A balance between daily restoration and stress provides energy for work as well as for free-time. The lifestyle assessment helps to understand the degree and significance of recovery, and it can help to reduce risk factors related to fatigue.
Wellbeing Booster project
In 2015 Fortum participated in the Sitra-coordinated Wellbeing Booster pilot project. The project tested digital solutions to measure and support health. A total of 180 Fortum employees from the Suomenoja and Järvenpää power plants and from the financial administration participated in the project. Additionally, 130 individuals participated as a control group.
According to the user survey, the participants experienced improved awareness of their own well-being and an increase in physical activity as a result of the coaching. Half of the test group also felt that their well-being had improved either somewhat or clearly.