What role do occupational health and employee satisfaction really play for companies? The research study "Quality of work and economic success" has set itself the task of investigating the connection between the quality of work of employees and the economic success of companies. In cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), this longitudinal study is conducted by various academic institutions. Since 2012, both employers and employees have been surveyed in four waves in order to gain insights into the quality of work and employee satisfaction.
Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic in particular, the focus has shifted to the health of employees, both physically and mentally. The report "Physical and mental health in German companies" analyses the changes between 2013 and 2021 from the employees' perspective. It looks at individual, professional and company framework conditions and their influence on the subjective and objective dimensions.
The study makes it clear that the quality of work, performance and satisfaction of employees are closely linked to the economic success of a company. A healthy and happy working environment promotes motivated employees who produce high-quality work. The quality of work and well-being in the workplace are closely linked, which in turn has a strong influence on company performance.
Subjective health in the workplace remained largely constant between 2013 and 2021. However, well-being has decreased significantly. In 2015, the "Well-being Index" was still at 4.2 and has fallen steadily since then until it dropped to 3.9 in 2021. This index is calculated from the five dimensions of good mood, relaxed, active, rested and interesting everyday life.
The report emphasises that factors such as stress, working conditions, leadership and work-life balance have a significant impact on the well-being of employees. For example, stressful working conditions can affect health in the company, while stress and a lack of work-life balance have a negative impact on well-being. Stress management, prevention and health promotion programmes are crucial to promoting employee health and satisfaction.
The study shows that managers play a key role in promoting health and well-being in the company. If they are perceived as supportive and empathetic, this has a positive impact on employee satisfaction. Companies should recognise that the quality of leadership has a direct impact on the wellbeing and performance of the workforce.
Special attention is paid to the workplace health promotion (BGF). This involves targeted programmes to promote health and well-being, including health checks, fitness offers and stress management courses.
OHF measures help to increase the health and satisfaction of employees. Flexible programmes are particularly important in order to meet the individual needs of the workforce. When putting together their health programmes, companies and health managers should ensure that they are easily accessible to employees and that they address individual stress levels, habits and health awareness.
Experience during the pandemic has shown that flexibility, including the option to work from home, has a significant impact on the health and well-being of employees. This enables employees to achieve a better work-life balance and reduce stress.
In order to promote employee health and satisfaction, the continuous collection of employee feedback is crucial. Companies should constantly review their programmes and measures and adapt them to changing needs. This will ensure that the services provided meet the needs of employees in the best possible way.
A healthy and happy team brings numerous benefits to your company. These include higher productivity, lower absenteeism and increased employee loyalty. These benefits are not only in the interests of the employees, but also have a positive impact on the long-term success of the company.
The research study on quality of work and employee satisfaction emphasises the importance of employee health and well-being for the economic success of your company. It clearly emphasises the business benefits of workplace health and employee satisfaction and how they are interdependent. Companies should develop and continuously improve targeted programmes to promote the health and well-being of their workforce. A healthy and satisfied workforce is the key to the long-term success of your organisation.
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