Regular health evaluations – a key component for Luleå Energi

Luleå Energi works closely with its employees based on the concept of "HR for all". They have a holistic approach to health and work environment with the goal of supporting their employees broadly, even when the triggering factor is not directly related to work. They also encourage open communication between employees and managers as well as with the HR function.

We have talked to Katharina Frank, HR Manager, and Sandra Östling, HR Strategist, at Luleå Energi to to gain insight into their preventive health work.

Plan based on regular health measurements

The collaboration between Luleå Energi and Falck has been ongoing for two years and began with all employees at Luleå Energi undergoing Falck's Health and Work Environment Profile — a measurement providing a comprehensive picture of the health situation in the workplace, both from a group and individual perspective.

– We usually conduct a health survey for all employees every two years. When we started working with Falck, it was time to do a new survey. We could then plan interventions together based on the results, says Katharina Frank, HR Manager at Luleå Energi.

Luleå Energi bases their health work on a combination of measurable facts and employees' experiences. The Health and Work Environment Profile provides just that, as the medical part is complemented by a lifestyle questionnaire based on experiences.

They also note that an advantage of conducting the Health and Work Environment Profile through Falck is that the results can be placed in a broader context.

– Getting a picture of how we compare with Falck's other clients across the country adds a dimension. The fact that Falck also says that we stand out positively in our results makes it extra fun, says Katharina Frank.

Katharina goes on to say that they do not do their health surveys as a one-time effort, but rather measure, follow up, share the results with their employees, and plan activities based on the organization's needs throughout the year.

Health-promoting activities based on employees' scores

– Overall we see excellent results in how our employees feel and thrive in their work, which is also evident in our low sick leave rates. This allows us to focus extra attention where we identify potential risk areas, says Katharina Frank.

One risk area that stood out in the Health and Work Environment Profile was alcohol habits and risky drinking. Here, we collaborated on an informative effort in the form of a lecture. Employees also requested assistance with smoking cessation, which led to an intervention in the form of nicotine replacement therapy on an individual level.

Another area they have continued to work on is life balance and incorporating more exercise while learning to manage stress.

– We have regular activities to encourage movement and balance. After the measurement, we also invested in office exercise bikes and stability balls, which are now available on every floor, and increased the weekly wellness time from 30 to 60 minutes, says Sandra Östling, HR strategist at Luleå Energi.

A clear result of these efforts is that 92% of Luleå Energi employees utilized the wellness benefit in 2023. To continuously follow up on training and other health-promoting activities, they also have an internal health and wellness group that regularly assesses which activities employees want.

Open communication about the well-being of the workplace

To involve employees in the results of the Health and Work Environment Profile, the results were communicated to everyone via the intranet, as well as through signs in the entrance and speakers on the tables in the cafeteria. In the information, they also encouraged employees to reach out to HR if they had any questions or opinions to share.

– What we have seen after the Health and Work Environment Profile is that our employees are happy that the survey is up and running again after the pandemic. They also appreciated the fact that there were both medical elements and dialogue, and that they were offered further check-ups if necessary instead of having to search for further information themselves, says Sandra Östling.

The collaboration between Luleå Energi and Falck

– It has taken time to adjust to such a large supplier, but there are also many advantages to Falck's size. We work together to develop solutions that work specifically for our operations, it's a very flexible and tailored experience, says Katharina Frank.

Katharina believes that a significant advantage is the regular contact they have with their team at Falck.

– The collaboration becomes very smooth because we have our contacts and regular check-ins. We see, among other things, shorter waiting times and faster feedback, which is incredibly positive for our processes, which are often lengthy, says Katharina Frank.

Stina Strömbäck Pyyny is a company nurse at Falck in Luleå and Luleå Energi's closest contact person. According to Stina, it is rewarding to work with a company that prioritizes work environment and health.

– I meet with employees for preventive and health-promoting work such as Medical Examinations and Health and Work Environment Surveys. Since I have close cooperation with the company, I can also contribute to strategically at meetings, says Stina Strömbäck Pyyny.