Health and well-being
For Sampo Group, it is important to have employees who are healthy and happy.
Sampo Group wants to promote the health and well-being of its employees. Placing an emphasis on employee health and well-being can improve general employee engagement and motivation, result in fewer absences due to illness, and eventually contribute to the bottom line.
Approach
The group level guidance document on health and wellbeing is the Sampo Group Code of Conduct. In addition, each Group company has adopted supplementary policies and guidelines for their own purposes. The Sampo Group companies have work environment committees (or similar) set up according to local legislation. These committees have responsibilities, including monitoring the work environment, developing health and safety procedures, and ensuring a high quality of physical and psychosocial well-being. The duties of the work environment committees depend on the Group company in question and follow national and local legislation.
At Sampo Group, the mental and physical well-being of employees is managed, for example, by implementing preventative measures (e.g., stress counselling, preventative occupational healthcare, good design of offices, and well-being-related webinars), focusing on work–life balance (e.g., workplace flexibility, working time reduction, dependent care, and special leave), offering employees meaningful work assignments, education, and organising team activities and sports programmes (e.g., yoga and sports clubs). In addition, focus is placed on employment security and responsible workforce restructuring according to local legal and factual standards.
Sampo Group investigates health and well-being risks regularly and takes preventive action to mitigate potential risks. Risk assessments are performed by all Sampo Group companies, and any incidents and risks detected are handled accordingly and reported in the relevant incident reporting tool. Along with employee surveys, the risk assessments and incident reports provide valuable indications to further develop the business processes and work environment.
Sampo Group recognises the role that leaders play in creating a safe space for employees to be open about their well-being. By providing leaders with training and tools, Sampo Group wants to establish an engaged and supportive leadership team that can help employees with managing their well-being.
Sampo Group measures health and well-being by absence due to illness. Sampo Group follows up on absence due to illness closely in all business areas and operating countries. Trends and possible actions are regularly discussed by management teams, leaders, unions, and work environment committees/steering groups, where applicable. The goal is to maintain a proactive approach to reduce absence due to illness. Sampo Group continuously evaluates the many initiatives and their contribution to employee health and well-being. The Group companies also measure employee engagement using company-specific measures.
Well-being and work-life balance
| Right / benefit | Sampo Group |
|---|---|
| Health and well-being | |
| Stress management | Yes |
| Sport and health initiatives | Yes |
| Workplace flexibility | |
| Flexible working hours | Yes |
| Remote working arrangements | Yes |
| Part-time working options | Yes |
| Family benefits | |
| Childcare facilities or contributions | No* |
| Possibility to breast-feed during working hours and suitable breast-feeding/lactation facilities | Yes |
| Paid parental leave for the birthing parent (at least 6 months) | Yes** |
| Paid parental leave for the non-birthing parent | Yes** |
| Paid family or care leave beyond parental leave (e.g. to care for a family member with a physical or mental health condition) | Yes** |
| Right to return to the same or similar position after a parental leave | Yes** |
*In the Nordics, children are entitled to daycare in the municipality where they live.
**Parental leave and other benefits and rights depend on local legislation in each operating country.
| Elements of OHS programmes | Sampo Group |
|---|---|
| OHS risk and hazard assessments to identify what could cause harm in the workplace | Yes |
| Prioritization and integration of action plans with quantified targets to address those risks | Yes |
| Integration of actions to prepare for and respond to emergency situations | Yes |
| Evaluation of progress in reducing/preventing health issues/risks against targets | Yes |
| Internal inspections | Yes |
| Procedures to investigate work-related injuries, ill health, diseases, and incidents | Yes |
| OHS training provided to employees and/or other relevant parties to raise awareness and reduce operational health and safety incidents | Yes |
| OHS criteria introduced in procurement and contractual requirements | Yes |
Goals and ambitions
Sampo Group aims to achieve a low level of absence due to illness.
Company-level information
Governance
If’s Ethics Policy states that If seeks to ensure a healthy and safe work environment for all its employees. Furthermore, the Leader in If Business Instruction states that creating and sustaining a healthy workplace requires a shared approach involving employees, leaders, HR, and union representatives.
If has mandatory national work environment committees, and based on the country’s legislation and practice, local work environment committees. The work environment committees have statutory responsibilities, including monitoring the work environment, developing health and safety procedures, and ensuring a high quality of physical and psychosocial well-being at If. The duties of the work environment committee, the election rules, the number of national participants, the mandate and the decision-making procedures are regulated by national work environment law or by country-specific co-determination agreements. Depending on local legislation, the representatives are either appointed by the labour union or elected by the employees. On average, the national committees meet four times a year and the local committees meet more frequently. The mission and mandate of local work environment committees differ from those of the national committee, and the tasks are of a more practical nature, such as regular safety inspections. If provides the committees with a standardised checklist for the safety inspections. If any immediate danger is detected, the safety representative has the authority to suspend work until the employer has resolved the situation.
To strengthen the focus and effort concerning the promotion of health and well-being, If has a preventive approach in all countries. This includes risk identification where both work-related and non-work-related health risks are considered. In the Nordic countries, dedicated Health Partners work systematically to develop and communicate tools related to well-being both for employees and leaders.
If is obliged by law to systematically plan and manage the work environment to ensure that it is safe for all employees. If sets local work environment plans annually and follows up their implementation regularly. The legal work environment requirements include the duty to continually investigate risks and to take preventive action to mitigate potential risks. Risk assessments are performed at all If offices, and any incidents and risks detected are handled accordingly and reported in the relevant incident reporting tool. The safety representatives cooperate with the employer and are also involved in risk assessment processes and other matters related to the work environment, such as workplace orientation and emergency procedures. If also has company-specific and company-wide crisis groups with representatives across the business to respond to local or global issues. Along with employee surveys, the risk assessments and incident reports provide valuable indications to further develop the business processes and work environment.
If follows up on absence due to illness monthly in all operating countries. Trends and possible actions are regularly discussed by management teams, leaders, unions, and work environment committees. The ambition is to have a proactive approach to reduce absence due to illness. As part of the process, people analytics are continuously being improved for more detailed monitoring and analysis of illness statistics. The Workday platform has also been developed to issue notifications according to set parameters, in the case of logged overtime or recurring sick leave. Based on the information, If can take relevant measures in support of a healthy workplace by monitoring certain areas more closely, such as meaningful work, role ambiguity, work autonomy, social support, and work–life balance.
Employee training
If provides necessary training regarding health and safety policies and procedures, such as fire drills, first aid courses, and crisis training. Awareness among employees is promoted through the intranet, and by their leaders upon joining If. If’s intranet contains links to If’s incident and accident reporting tools, which are accessible to everyone with an If computer and user ID.
Certain mandatory corporate training is included in the New Leader in If seminar through If’s Workday Learning platform. Leaders are also offered more extensive training relating to the obligations as an employer, for instance.
Mental health
If offers employees who suffer from mental health issues a low threshold coaching service either through occupational healthcare or other advisory suppliers. While there are local differences due to regulation and common practice, certain information is made available to all employees through the intranet.
Healthcare services
Depending on local regulation, If offers employees comprehensive health insurance that covers both illness and accidents. In addition, employees have the possibility to contact the occupational healthcare provider or other vendors and suppliers for work-related medical, psychological, and ergonomic advice. The service offering varies depending on local practice and legislation. If uses the intranet and other internal channels to share information about health-related benefits and services.
Work–life balance
Many employees at If have the opportunity to work flexible hours and, in most countries, If offers possibilities for part-time arrangements for employees with young children, employees close to pension age, or based on individual social or health reasons. Employees are also entitled to take leave to care for sick children; the required circumstances and the number of days offered vary from country to country. In certain countries and based on market practice, If offers financial support beyond legal requirements for parental leave. Moreover, employees can request short-term or long-term leave for studies, and some countries offer leave for elderly care. Shorter periods of leave are offered when moving home, or for marriage and family reasons, for example.
Goals and ambitions
If ’s goal is that absence due to illness should not exceed 3 per cent.
Governance
Topdanmark has an internal well-being policy that sets the framework for all initiatives within employee well-being. In addition, Topdanmark has an internal health policy with the purpose of promoting health, well-being, and job satisfaction. The overall targets and initiatives are set by the Well-being Committee, which meets quarterly. The Chief HR Officer is responsible for the implementation of the internal policies and concrete initiatives related to them.
At Topdanmark, attention is given to the fact that a fast-changing business environment can cause stress, decrease job-satisfaction and well-being, and create a lack of motivation among employees. Therefore, the company has developed several initiatives to avoid these effects. Topdanmark provides many health-related initiatives, including anonymous stress counselling, educational videos providing an insight into and tools to both prevent and work with stress, such as a massage scheme and sports activities (e.g. online exercise programmes, yoga). Topdanmark also offers help with larger lifestyle changes.
Topdanmark continuously evaluates, for example in the Well-being Committee, the many initiatives and their contribution to a healthier working day and a high level of well-being.
Work–life balance
Topdanmark attaches great importance to employees having a good work–life balance. In different phases of life, the needs can vary, and Topdanmark aims to support the need for flexibility for the individual employee in the form of flexible working hours, parental leave, part-time work, the possibility to take care of a sick child, and leave to care for a critically ill child, a terminally ill person at home, or a close relative with a disability or critical illness.
Goals and ambitions
Topdanmark’s goal is that absence due to illness should be below the average for the entire insurance industry, as calculated by the Danish Employer’s Association for the Financial Sector.
Governance
Hastings has a well-being programme, which focuses on three key principles: awareness, education, and engagement through activity. The programme offers support and information about well-being, whilst promoting a healthy working environment through a variety of activities to support the mental, physical, financial, and social health of employees and their dependants, as well as their well-being.
Hastings has a Well-being Steering Group, which brings together key stakeholders from across the company. The members of the steering group share feedback and insights from their areas and, in this way, inform decisions on goals, strategies, and processes within the well-being programme. In addition, Hastings has WellBeing Champions and Mental Health First Aiders who act as the first point of contact for employees who may have questions or concerns around health and well-being. These employees act as intermediaries whilst promoting preventative healthcare via the tools and resources available within the well-being programme.
Hastings recognises the role that all leaders play in creating a safe space for employees to be open about their well-being. By providing leaders with the training and tools, Hastings is building an engaged and supportive leadership team that can help employees with managing their well-being.
All Hastings’ employees are able to access a vast library of wellness support via a dedicated well-being platform. The platform includes webinars, workshops, talks, and health checks supported by the company’s’ health and well-being providers.
Goals and ambitions
The goal of Hastings’ well-being programme is to focus on embedding wellness into Hastings’ culture and continuing to raise awareness and deliver educational health and well-being initiatives.
Related information:
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