Absenteeism, mental health and ROI: This is how HR can rethink WHM

The economic crisis has not cooled down the debate about the importance of company health management, but has intensified it. In practice, a mixed picture emerges: Some companies are saving on WHM budgets, while at the same time the market for company fitness and company health services is growing significantly because more and more companies are recognizing the need for action, whether due to increasing absenteeism, demographic change or the desire to be seen as an attractive employer. This is what the participants in the BGM Round Table observed. Statutory health insurance companies report that their funding volume for occupational prevention has increased. Strategically oriented projects are also well budgeted.

The participants in the round table agree that the lack of money is not slowing down progress in WHM because of the economic crisis. Rather, it is a lack of decisions to set up BGM professionally. Anyone who calculates the benefits economically – with clear key figures and proof of impact – also gets the budget.

BGM must be developed strategically

Overall, the WHM market diverges: On the one hand, there are companies that consistently invest in strategic programs. On the other hand, those in which individual measures dominate, such as health days, yoga courses and benefits, which alone have little measurable effect. The group agrees that there is a lack of models that promise impact, create value and thus create confidence for investments. And HR often lacks the necessary data and frameworks to argue on an equal level with the C-level why WHM is necessary and how it can be built strategically.

“At some point, BGM should no longer be an additional project, but rather a natural component of all areas of the company.”

Fabian Loch, Managing Director, insa Health Management

Reducing absenteeism should not be the only goal

Due to the social debate, many C-levels are currently focused heavily on one aspect of WHM: absenteeism. They want to see that these are reduced through good company health management. The problem: Anyone who only measures WHM measures based on absence data neglects other important factors – such as structural quality (“Are the right resources available?”) and process quality (“Is the path clearly defined?”). Only when all three levels are correct can impact be reliably demonstrated.

Evidence-based frameworks show how this works: driver analyzes that build impact chains backwards and assign business value contributions to health drivers. This means that instead of simply offering measures, one should first ask which factors actually influence the health of the workforce. These drivers can then be used to determine where interventions need to start and what measurable contribution they make to productivity or employee retention.

“Effective and measurable WHM begins with an honest and well-founded analysis of the actual working reality in the company.”

Jonas Treixler, Managing Partner, Skolawork

BGM: That’s why supply and demand are often far apart

The participants agree that a holistic WHM concept is needed that clearly states who it is intended to address and what it wants to achieve. Because supply and demand are often far apart. This means: A consistent WHM strategy should not start with a catalog of measures, but with the question: Who are we doing this for – and what do we want to achieve with it?

“BGM is often not received by companies because it is not tailored to the target group.”

Janet Straeten, Director People & Culture, Hansefit

It is often worth first taking an inventory of what exists: many companies have more than they realize. Some things are better combined than replaced. The impact chain must be thought through holistically – from the health department to HR to the finance department. What this means is the connection between cause and effect: healthy employees are more productive, make fewer mistakes and are absent less often. This has a direct impact on fluctuation, quality and ultimately the competitiveness of the company.

“Companies should take the time to look at their employee groups in a differentiated manner and adapt offers specifically to their needs, pressures and expectations.”

Prof. Dr. Mustapha Sayed, Head of Corporate Health, Barmer & FOM University of Economics and Management

Good leadership is essential for the health of employees

Above all, however, a holistic WHM depends on the leadership culture: leadership must be thought of as an active contribution to the health culture. This means that managers should engage in real dialogue with their employees, take stock of the situation and identify frictional losses before measures are developed. This refers to all those factors that put unnecessary strain on employees and cost energy, such as unclear responsibilities, inefficient processes or a lack of communication. Anyone who now enables participation in the creation of WHM measures and collaboration in general and gives employees a voice is laying the foundation for sustainable impact, according to the credo at the Round Table.

This requires that managers take a step out of the classic top-down mode. Health promotion that is ordered from above is far less well received than if it is designed together. In concrete terms, this means involving employees in the needs analysis at an early stage and actively obtaining their assessments of pressures, resources and wishes – and not as a one-off survey, but as a continuous process.

“My tip to companies: Listen! Get to know your organization and your employees. This will help you offer the right WHM measures and create acceptance.”

Anna Kinzel, Expert in company health management, health insurance technician

But having a voice doesn’t just mean being heard. It means that what you hear also flows noticeably into decisions. It is precisely this connection between participation and effectiveness that is seen as crucial in the group. Managers who understand health as a cross-cutting issue create the climate in which WHM measures really take effect. And they send a signal that employees today clearly demand: I will be taken seriously.

“The manager is not the therapist of his employees; this pressure must be taken away. However, he should be able to refer to qualified offers.”

Dr. Anne-Kathrin Gellner, Principal Health Consultant, Mercer Germany

Underrated tips for effective BGM

In the middle of the debate about frameworks, proof of impact and strategic positioning, the participants brought to the fore two aspects that are often overlooked in practice, although they are often the key to WHM that actually works:

• A look at what already works.

  Over the years, many companies have built up a considerable portfolio of health offerings, such as company sports, employee assistance programs, cooperation with health insurance companies, flexible working hours and occupational safety measures. But in practice, these offers are quickly forgotten, poorly communicated or taken for granted internally. However, before new measures are planned, it is worthwhile to systematically survey what already exists, the experts emphasize.

  An honest inventory not only shows which resources are unused, but also sharpens the eye for where gaps really exist. What is there should be made visible, better connected and communicated more intelligently. This is often more effective – and cheaper – than adding another new offer to the pile.

• Simplicity.BGM tends to be complex, as there are numerous providers, countless tools, many interfaces and numerous processes. The willingness to use an offer is directly linked to its accessibility. If employees first have to fill out three forms, find their way around an intranet or choose between five platforms, the usage rate drops rapidly, one of the participants noted.

  What helps: a low-threshold entry, clear communication, personal approach – and the courage to bundle fewer measures and do them really well than to offer as many as possible. The experts agree that complexity is often the biggest obstacle to impact and simplicity should be recognized as a quality feature.

“Simple and logic works best! If you want to make healthy work effective, you need simple, logically comprehensible approaches.”

Bastian Schmidtbleicher-Lück, Managing Director, Moove

AI transformation: The classic BGM categories fall short

Last but not least, the participants in the group are intensively concerned with how AI transformation affects health. Because employees are regularly exposed to new tools, processes and AI-supported systems. Without sufficient support, dealing with these systems can result in considerable mental stress – keyword mental overload. Health has therefore also become an IT issue. The classic BGM categories – exercise, ergonomics, nutrition – fall short.

“I see a lot of potential for AI in the area of ​​mental health – for example, to cushion or bridge bottlenecks in counseling services.”

Johanna Singer, BGM coordinator, DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale

Mental health is taking center stage, as evidenced by health insurance data showing that more and more people are taking sick leave due to mental challenges. At the same time, AI development has potential for WHM itself: analyzes can be evaluated more efficiently and target groups can be addressed more precisely. But this is still in its infancy.