Everyone is responsible for wellbeing in the workplace. Cooperation plays a major role in this respect.
Management, personnel policy and effective collaboration are significant in promoting wellbeing at work. The necessary measures to promote wellbeing at work and working capacity should be jointly agreed in the workplace, in addition to ensuring their monitoring and effectiveness.
The development of workplace communities and wellbeing at work is a key factor in improving competitiveness and productivity, because success requires well-balanced and highly motivated employees, as well as innovation and new ways of working. Special attention must be paid to the functioning of workplace communities, employees’ competence, wellbeing at work and building trust. Nothing new can be created without motivated employees.
Trust strengthens the workplace community
Trust is the most important asset of workplace communities. Building trust requires openness, discussion and the sharing of information. A working culture based on trust allows for the diversity of people, and everyone is accepted as part of the workplace community exactly as they are. Trust strengthens the workplace community, increases wellbeing at work and promotes agreement.
When employees are heard and they trust the workplace community, they have the courage to develop and try something new. An employee’s opportunities to affect their work and competence make their work more meaningful. Every employee must also be able to contribute to the development of the common rules and practices of the workplace. A satisfied employee will be committed to their employer.
Local agreements
Local agreements and their promotion within collective agreements are a good thing, as long as the conditions in the workplace are appropriate and the collaboration works. For a local agreement to be successful, there must be a confidential relationship between the employer, the employees’ representative and the personnel.
A local agreement in the workplace calls for negotiation skills and as equal a position as possible between the parties. The provision of information is currently a key issue in negotiating local agreements. The employees’ representative is provided with information much too late, and the flow of information is limited and selective. In addition, the employees’ representative and the personnel have insufficient influence.
Collective labour agreements offer more and more opportunities for local agreement. For example, salary systems, job difficulty evaluations and performance bonuses can be partially agreed locally. Similarly, part of the pay increases defined in collective labour agreements can be agreed locally in workplaces.
Collective labour agreements offer more and more opportunities for local agreement. It is often possible to agree locally on matters related to working hours and performance-based pay, for example. Similarly, part of the pay increases defined in collective labour agreements can be agreed locally in workplaces. Local agreements require knowledge of collective labour agreements and labour law, which is accessible through trade unions’ shop stewards and other employee representatives.
Wellbeing at work
Work, personnel policy and management must support health so that we cope better and longer at work, until retirement. Comprehensive occupational healthcare services, a safe and healthy working environment and flexibility in working hours support coping at work. Good and fair management in the workplace community has a significant impact on wellbeing at work.
Various life situations challenge our ability to cope and maintain a balance between work and life. Family leave, part-time work, job alternation leave, and part-time pensions provide flexibility and prevent longer interruptions in careers. Shorter working time could also be one way to extend careers in the future.
Inappropriate treatment
Inappropriate treatment means harassment, bullying and other inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. Every workplace must have zero tolerance for sexual harassment and other inappropriate treatment. The employer’s obligation to address issues must be expanded so that inappropriate treatment and harassment can be eliminated from working life. In addition, negligence of sufficient measures must lead to sanctions.