HOW CAN THE C-SUITE MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO WORKFORCE HEALTH?
The last few years has highlighted more than ever how workforce health can directly influence business performance. It needs to be recognised as part of the organisation’s overall strategy, as well as one of the main organisational risks. Workforce health is now one of the C-Suite’s key areas of focus.
As shown by the International SOS Foundation’s latest research on employer health professionals and experts worldwide, the scope and responsibilities within organisations are expected to increase in the next few years, with a significant shift towards the C-Suite. That workforce health and resilience is a growing leaders’ priority is also stressed by companies themselves, including but not limited to Swiss Re, ABB, Chubb, LafargeHolcim, Cotecna, IG Bank.
A KEY ROLE IN ENSURING WORKFORCE HEALTH
The COVID-19 pandemic made health and security topics a regular board-level discussion. Addressing the increasingly wide range of global risks required commitment at senior management level. Corporate leaders had to focus on what matters most: their people’s health and safety.
Previously health and security were often seen as 'someone else’s job'. The COVID-19 crisis has stressed their wider importance. Health and security advisors are now fully recognised as integral to leadership, not only during a crisis but also in ensuring business continuity.
Post pandemic we see an even greater focus on health, safety and employee wellbeing. According to research by the International SOS Foundation ‘CHO 2030: Addressing the employee health needs of the future’, the scope and responsibilities of organisational health and safety are expected to change in the next 10 years, and it is the leadership who will have to face the challenges ahead:
Now more than ever, leaders are quickly realising that employee health is the most important variable in the survival of their organisation. CEOs and boards have become direct decision-makers on health issues and programmes to protect the physical and mental health of their employees.
Health management can indeed directly influence business performance, and health has become one of the main strategic organisational risks. The higher the health agenda is considered within organisations, the wider the benefits are in terms of employee engagement and retention. Never before has health become so material to organisations in the way it has impacted business growth, raised costs and increased risks.
It’s clear that C-Suite executives are now doing more to ensure that decisions account for the health and safety of employees. Specifically, employee personal health issues are no longer seen as separate from business concerns. Instead, the two are seen as increasingly interconnected, with employees being recognised as organisation's most valuable assets.
- 25%
of them sees the future role of health in their organisation being part of the C-Suite
- 88%
see the organisation’s health requirements continuing to increase in complexity.
- +75%
of respondents believe their investment in health will increase over the next ten years.
Such organisational shifts are mainly due to the new urgency with which decisions must be taken, as the C-Suite is usually best placed to quickly respond to issues, update policies, and cope with dynamic or critical situations. Employee health has become one of the main areas, where the C-Suite has expanded its responsibilities. More and more C-Level executives (about 80% according to a recent IBM research) are now supporting their employees’ physical and mental health.
International SOS itself has also observed, since the first year of the pandemic, a doubling in calls from C-Suite level people to our Assistance Centres.
Why is employee health crucial for organisations and business continuity?
Download PaperWHY PARTNER WITH INTERNATIONAL SOS?
- International SOS is the pioneer in its field and at the forefront to support leaders and their people from being caught off guard while ensuring their resilience and business continuity. Through our services of expert consulting, Workforce Risk Management, Intelligence, Workplace Solutions, Crisis Management, and pandemic support, International SOS can help protect your workforce from health and security risks while ensuring business operations.
- Treating the health of your people as a priority will also allow you to meet other important requirements: Meet legal and governance requirements, always being compliant with your Duty of Care, ensure employee and talent retention, attraction, and satisfaction, protect your business continuity, and protect your reputation and bottom line.
- Focusing on health will enable you to address such needs and their related costs, mitigate risks, and minimise the potential negative impact of an incident or crisis on your operations and reputation.