Workplace health promotion (BGF/BGM)
Workplace health promotion - a challenge for companies?
Maintaining health, including in the workplace, is a multifaceted challenge.
Workplace health promotion (WHP) encompasses all joint measures taken by employers, employees and society to improve health and well-being in the workplace. This can be achieved by combining the following approaches:
- Improving work organization and working conditions
- Promoting the active participation of employees
- Strengthening personal skills
Occupational health management (OHM) creates a performance-enhancing working atmosphere, better working conditions and more conscious health behavior, reduces sickness-related absences and lays the foundation for sustainable corporate success. It is the conscious control and integration of all operational processes with the aim of maintaining and promoting the health of employees.
Occupational health management not only aims to change individual behaviour, but also to optimize conditions, i.e. working conditions and structures.
It is important that companies successfully implement measures to optimize the operational framework conditions and consider occupational health management as an integral part of corporate management.
Companies wishing to introduce health management into their organization can find support on the Health Promotion Switzerland website, for example, with various tools for occupational health management, as well as at the Forum BGM Ostschweiz.
The Office of Public Health is part of the sponsorship of the Forum BGM Ostschweiz. By becoming a member of the Forum BGM Ostschweiz, you secure access to knowledge and practice in workplace health promotion.
Forum BGM Eastern Switzerland
The partner for workplace health management
All beginnings are difficult - but not if you have a good partner at your side. Liechtenstein companies can also become members of the association.
The members' area offers a wide range of information, a comprehensive glossary, free initial advice, book recommendations, checklists, tools and much more.
Membership of the Forum BGM Ostschweiz association is helpful and informative. Enquire directly!
Further training
Further information
New campaign for companies
Staying mentally healthy in a challenging working environment cannot be taken for granted. A new campaign is helping companies and organizations in Eastern Switzerland to maintain and promote the mental health of their employees. The campaign is backed by the Eastern Switzerland Forum for Mental Health and the Forum BGM Ostschweiz. The campaign is supported by the economic offices of the cantons of St.Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Mental illness is now the most common cause of absences from work and early retirement. The reasons for this development are manifold and cannot be attributed exclusively to the world of work. Nevertheless, the world of work does have an influence on the mental health of employees. Research sees work-related stress factors as an important trigger for mental illness. For example, stress, prolonged time pressure, frequent interruptions, a lack of opportunities to make an appropriate contribution, monotonous activities or a lack of opportunities to relax.
Joint campaign in Eastern Switzerland
Mental illness places a burden on those affected and their environment, companies and the economy. The Forum BGM Ostschweiz and the Eastern Switzerland Forum for Mental Health have jointly set themselves the goal of supporting companies and organizations in the promotion of mental health and the early detection of mental illness with a campaign. The economic offices of the cantons of St.Gallen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden and the Principality of Liechtenstein are actively supporting the campaign.
Aims of the campaign
The campaign aims to encourage employees to take responsibility for their own mental health. Managers receive information on how they can maintain and promote the mental health of their employees, what responsibilities the company has and how they can react appropriately.
"Employees with mental health problems are not uncommon," says Jürg Engler from the Eastern Switzerland Forum for Mental Health. "Almost every second person suffers from a mental illness at some point in their life. Stress at work can also lead to mental illness. In the work environment, mental health problems often manifest themselves in interpersonal contact, work behavior or performance. Colleagues and managers usually notice very early on that a person is not feeling well or that 'something is no longer right'. However, there is a great deal of uncertainty when dealing with mentally ill employees. Managers often wait until situations escalate. However, it is important to look and act at an early stage. There are also preventative measures that can be taken. We would like to offer companies concrete, practical support in this area."
For employees and managers
The campaign is entitled "EVERYTHING IN THE GREEN AREA. 10 impulses for mental health at work" and comprises several elements: small posters draw attention to the campaign within the company. An information flyer and giveaways encourage employees to take care of their own mental health. A folder with brochures, information sheets and templates is available for managers. Contents include, for example: "How do I recognize mental illness?", "What can I do if employees become mentally ill?", "Where can I get support?". The companies also receive information on how they can contribute to maintaining the mental health of their employees and how the operational conditions can be optimized with regard to mental health. For example, management style has a significant influence on the health of employees. The campaign aims to raise awareness of these interrelationships and highlight possible courses of action. The campaign will be accompanied by public and in-house workshops and keynote speeches.
Free materials
Companies in the catchment area of the two forums (AI, AR, SG and FL) can obtain a maximum of 500 information brochures and giveaways free of charge (while stocks last). Additional copies will be provided at cost price. As a rule, one folder per manager is also free of charge. On request, companies can adopt the contents of the campaign and adapt them to their own corporate design.
Further information on the campaign:
http://www.psyche-und-arbeit.ch/
Information:
Eastern Switzerland Forum for Mental Health
Jürg Engler
T +41 58 229 87 69
juerg.engler@sg.ch
Forum BGM Eastern Switzerland
Annette Nitsche
T +41 58 229 87 67
annette.nitsche@sg.ch
Contact and sponsorship:
The "Eastern Switzerland Forum for Mental Health" discusses mental health, promotes exchange and shows what support services are available.
Eastern Switzerland Forum for Mental Health
c/o Office for Preventive Health Care
ZEPRA
Unterstrasse 22
CH-9001 St. Gallen
T +41 (0)58 229 87 60
info@forum-psychische-gesundheit.ch
www.forum-psychische-gesundheit.ch
The "Forum BGM - Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement Ostschweiz" supports companies in promoting the health of their employees.
Forum BGM Eastern Switzerland
Office
P.O. Box
CH-9001 St.Gallen
T +41 (0)58 229 87 84
The past few months have been characterized by uncertainty and new challenges for many companies. In such situations, flexibility and creativity are required. Dealing constructively with change also means preventing stress that can lead to illness. ZEPRA's new "BGFtalk" service supports managers and employees in this - with videos, suggestions, checklists and more. Moderator Marco Fritsche talks to experts: How can we communicate well during changes, resolve conflicts constructively, strengthen relationships in the team or manage emotions in the workplace?
BGM monitoring
Monitoring report 2022 "Health promotion in the workplace - where does Eastern Switzerland stand; what is the situation in Liechtenstein?"
813 companies and organizations from the cantons of Eastern Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein took part in the survey. The Forum BGM Ostschweiz is very satisfied with the results.
A small excerpt:
- 43 percent of respondents would like to promote the mental health of their employees more
- 84% of respondents state that their line managers see maintaining and promoting the health of their employees as a management task
- 87% of respondents state that their line managers react when employees are overworked
- 42% of respondents would like to promote health-promoting leadership behavior even more strongly
As can be seen, there is potential in the development of overall concepts. The study shows that 20 percent of survey participants have implemented an overall concept for health promotion. For 15 percent, an overall concept is currently being developed. This means that over half of all respondents do not yet have a systematic approach to promoting the health of their employees.
The Forum BGM Ostschweiz has once again investigated the state of health promotion in companies in Liechtenstein.
Summary Monitoring Liechtenstein
The detailed special report with the latest figures.
Report for Liechtenstein
The Forum BGM Ostschweiz has carried out monitoring as part of workplace health promotion (BGF) and workplace health management (BGM). Liechtenstein was also surveyed in a special report. The results can be read in the report from page 21 onwards.
Contact persons
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Deborah Matt [email protected] +423 236 68 14