In a world where everything is moving ever faster, health and well-being are becoming even more crucial. Taking better care of yourself, your health and achieving a better work-life balance are also challenges in business. Beyond the clichés about well-being at work, some organisations are taking steps to contribute to a better balance, by facilitating access to sports activities or by implementing measures that facilitate health.

“Performance” and “quality of life” are not opposed, but rather complementary. The expectations of employees, now more demanding, combined with productivity imperatives, are pushing managers to rethink the balance between work and personal development.

In this first part of a series of five articles, here are some key elements on the theme of well-being at work, as well as an overview of the players to know, for employees and companies alike.

Institutional stakeholders in health and well-being at work

Associations, institutions linked to the state or not, various professional organisations… Many actors have a card to play in terms of well-being and health at work.

Among the competent institutions, the ministry of labour develops policies and regulations on worker protection and working conditions. It collaborates with different services to promote a safe and healthy work environment. While the health ministry is responsible for promoting public health and prevention, which includes workers’ health. It regulates and supervises occupational health services.

Under the authority of the ministry of health, the Occupational Health Division is responsible for supervising the health of workers by ensuring that companies comply with medical monitoring obligations and can intervene to control company practices and ensure that occupational health standards are respected.

The Labour and Mines Inspectorate (ITM) is responsible for monitoring the application of health and safety legislation, promoting the well-being of employees in the workplace, advising and assisting employers and acting as a contact in the event of social conflicts.

Finally, the National Institute for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility (INDR) is the key player in CSR and provides support to companies. It offers training and tools to help companies develop internal policies that promote the health, safety and well-being of their employees.

Associations

In addition to the official institutions active in this area, many associations have also made this theme their hobbyhorse. Among them, we find the Luxembourg League for Mental Hygiene (LLHM) which offers various services aimed at supporting people facing psychological difficulties, but also initiatives to support employment, prevention and training, to raise awareness of psychosocial risks and establish a corporate culture favorable to mental health.

The Luxembourg Association for Occupational Health (Alsat) offers continuing education aimed at deepening knowledge in occupational medicine. It raises awareness among companies and workers about the issues of health and well-being at work, with an emphasis on preventing occupational risks and improving working conditions.

Another association, this time reserved for workers in the tertiary and financial sectors, is also active: the ASTF. It provides medical monitoring for employees in these sectors via medical visits and return-to-work examinations after a prolonged illness. It also offers training and awareness programs, ergonomics recommendations and check-ups for employees of member companies.

Another player: the STM (Multisector Occupational Health Service, or Service de santé au travail multisectoriel) carries out mandatory medical examinations for employees to assess their fitness. It also offers measures and support in the implementation of action plans to prevent occupational risks and organizes awareness-raising and training on topics such as ergonomics, healthy living or the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders.

Finally, the Luxembourg Institute for Quality of Life at Work (ILQVT) is a company with a societal impact that aims to provide skills to stakeholders in the world of work to enable them to implement approaches focused on working conditions.

Organisations to know

The Chamber of Employees (CSL) is a key player. It produces the Quality of Work Index, which analyses changes in working conditions and employee well-being, as well as awareness-raising and training campaigns. It publishes practical guides and participates in decisions concerning health and safety policies at work. It has also set up the Stressberodung, a support service for employees suffering from professional stress.

The Chamber of Commerce contributes to promoting health and well-being at work by raising awareness among companies, supporting innovative initiatives and encouraging the adoption of responsible practices.

Fedil founded the Industrial Occupational Health Service (STI), offering member companies an inter-company medical service that provides medical examinations, occupational risk assessments and ergonomics advice. It also participates in initiatives aimed at improving the health and safety of workers and develops recommendations and best practices. It also participates in discussions with public authorities.

The Federation of Craftsmen participates in discussions on health and safety policies at work and offers training and workshops on best practices in this area.

Finally, the Union des Entreprises Luxembourgeoises (UEL) also plays a role in health and well-being at work, in particular by collaborating with stakeholders to develop policies, by raising awareness among companies of the importance of prevention and by analysing trends.

This article was written in for the  magazine, published on 20 November. The content is produced exclusively for the magazine. It is published on the website as a contribution to the complete Paperjam archive. .

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