A major societal challenge, particularly in what are known as the welfare professions, is the rise in retirements and demographic changes. The competition for talent is fierce, and effective recruitment campaigns alone will not be enough to solve the challenge posed by a shrinking working-age population. Systematic and effective workplace health and safety efforts are a key ingredient in keeping people in the workforce and ensuring their well-being at work.

In previous articles, we have described what can be considered the greatest challenge to the welfare system in the coming decade. It is already a reality today that securing a skilled workforce in municipalities and regions is difficult, and if we turn our attention to the private sector, the outlook is not much brighter. The working-age population is not growing nearly as fast as the elderly population, the latter being a group with greater needs for health and social care.

If we look solely at the demand within the welfare sector (municipalities and regions), the increase in demand for healthcare and social services accounts for nearly one-third of the total increase in the working-age population in Sweden. By 2031, the welfare sector will need to hire 410,000 people due to retirements and demographic changes. Read more about what demographic changes in Sweden will look like over the next ten years.

We have previously written about the concept of an attractive employer and how this enhances a company’s appeal (read more here). This involves, among other things, supporting employee development, strengthening leadership, and having the courage to recruit from a broader pool. Closely related to this is working systematically to improve the work environment. Prioritizing this effort, in both the public and private sectors, may be the best recruiter you’ve ever hired.

Work systematically and collaboratively

According to the government’s occupational health and safety strategy for 2021–2025, we are to focus on systematic occupational health and safety efforts, ensuring that working life contributes to personal development, and enabling everyone to have the energy and desire to work longer. This is, of course, a broad outline for addressing the challenges ahead, and the key is to translate this into concrete actions that companies—both large and small—can implement in their day-to-day operations.

When we take a systematic approach to workplace safety, we as employers manage workplace risks, prevent injuries and ill health, and facilitate the return to work for employees on sick leave. From a longer-term perspective, this helps maintain employee engagement and well-being.

It is very important that everyone in the workplace understands how to manage the work environment and what each person’s role and responsibilities are. The manager plays a key role in working with employees to continuously identify the impact the business has on the work environment. It bears repeating that employees should be involved in shaping their own work situation and in changes that affect their work. When we work collaboratively, there is greater potential for predictability and stability in the business.

ByHart works with a wide range of companies (both small and large) where our support in workplace health and safety is essential to their growth and profitability. Employees who are healthy and happy are naturally more productive. Within the framework of our HR partnerships, we research and implement workplace safety and health initiatives that work in the day-to-day operations of each unique business. This may involve, for example, establishing a safety committee that includes managers and safety representatives, who are responsible for continuously planning, monitoring, following up on, and evaluating these efforts.

For us, it’s important to make workplace safety and health a natural and positive part of daily life. Traditionally, legislation has focused heavily on risks, shortcomings, and problems. Working on workplace safety and health shouldn’t feel like a chore. Ensuring that everyone feels good is likely every employer’s goal, and that’s where workplace safety and health experts—such as ourselves—need to simplify and clarify the process for individual employers.

It is clear that companies that take a systematic approach to their workplace environment also become more attractive, retaining employees they do not want to lose and standing out to new candidates. Workplace environment initiatives create ambassadors—people who recommend their employer and speak highly of their workplace.

Do you know how many ambassadors you have at your workplace? You can quickly take a survey and see the results in black and white here.

Below, we list eight factors that promote good health from Suntarbetsliv that can serve as guiding principles in your work.

8 factors for good health

1. Leadership. A leadership style that is attentive, trusting, and committed.
2. Participation. There is an opportunity to influence decisions and systems in order to convey your views.
3. Communication and feedback. Effective communication and feedback between managers and employees.
4. Systematic health and safety efforts in everyday work. Systematic health and safety efforts are well integrated into daily operations.
5. Rehabilitation efforts for long- and short-term sick leave. The organization has the necessary knowledge, overview, and procedures in place. Early signs of ill health are identified.
6. A fair and transparent organization. The workplace is perceived as fair because the rules and values apply to everyone, and no one is treated differently.
7. Career-long professional development. Employees are encouraged to try new tasks and acquire new skills, for example during performance reviews.
8. Prioritizing tasks. When the workload is heavy, employees receive assistance in prioritizing their tasks.