Work ability and wellbeing at work

Abstract

ABSTRACT Employees’ ability to work and wellbeing change constantly based on employees’ personal traits and expectations of the environment. Eventually, increased physical and mental stress can lead to sick leaves or significantly lower performance at work. The purpose of the research survey is to find out the importance of the different areas of wellbeing at work and how those are implemented at work. The objective of the thesis is to evaluate the current state of wellbeing at work by researching how employees’ expectations and the support provided by the employer match each other. In addition, the goal is to produce development proposals for how employees and the employer together can support and promote work ability and wellbeing at work.

The theory parts were work ability, wellbeing at work and the management of them. Quantitative research method was used in the study and the data was collected by a survey on Webropol. The survey was used to research the importance of the areas of wellbeing at work and the experiences of their implementation, as evaluated with table 1-5 by the employees of Company X. The questions were built to the survey with the help of the framework Stairs of Wellbeing at work Model. The survey was sent via email to the employees (n=100) of the company X and answers n=33 were given.

The study showed that, the factors affecting wellbeing at work that employees consider important were implemented moderately. Employees would like to have more support to the parts of health, appreciation, and competence. Employees wish more support and encouraging for healthy lifestyles from foreman. The demand for balanced work and rest times, came up. Employees hope strengthening their competence by increasing training and having more conversations with foreman about own work and competence. The employees also highlighted the development of foremen work in the area of people management. The employee’s role in the operation and development of the organization needs strengthening.

The key results and conclusions states that the parts of wellbeing at work are operates well. Between the parts of wellbeing at work which the employees consider important, and the implementation of them arises things to improve, which foreman and employees can improve together in a planned way, for example using the Stairs of Wellbeing Model.

Keywords: Wellbeing at work, work ability, management