‘Occupational health services can help with the large-scale vaccination’
2021-04-06
Three quick questions to Max van Eijk, CEO of Avonova, about the work environment during the coronavirus pandemic and the prospects of occupational health services being involved in the vaccination programme.
What do you think is the biggest impact the pandemic will have on the country’s workplaces and work environment in the longer term?
– The more digital ways of working established during the pandemic increase flexibility and productivity in working life. People can work where they get the most done, and we cut unnecessary travel time. However, this quickly raises our expectation of how quick everything should go, and stress-related mental illness, above all among young people and women, is already on the increase in our society. We all need to equip ourselves by becoming good at unwinding and recovering during, before and after the working day. We also need to be alert to our own and our colleagues’ early symptoms of stress and exhaustion.
What is happening to the work environment at a time when people are working at home more? How are occupational health services helping employers with the home working environment?
– Some feel better and get more done working from home, and for some, it is the opposite: the workplace is the best environment. As employers, we need to be sensitive to this and establish clear expectations. The occupational health services help create processes for quickly identifying employees who are not well after changes to their work environment and introduce measures to help them, such as a structured working day with exercise, recovery, good nutrition, an ergonomic home office, as well as the early identification of the onset of mental illness and the steps to take.
What are the prospects of occupational health services being involved in Phase 4 of the vaccination programme?
– Occupational health services have the skills and capacity to make a large contribution. Providing vaccinations is one of our core services, and we can provide vaccinations directly in workplaces so companies can keep the economy going. All we need is more regions and municipalities to commission us. Östergötland and Kalmar are good examples of where the public sector is enlisting the help of occupational health services in this way.
Max van Eijk was interviewed by Malin Sahlén, Senior Associate Partner and Head of Office at New Republic. ‘Three Quick Questions…’ is a series of interviews conducted by New Republic