Innovation: Fit2Work

Austria

AAI Domains:

• Employment (improve employment rate)

• Independent, healthy and secure living (improve access to healthcare services, financial security, independent living)

Good quality paid work can be of great benefit to a person’s health and well-being through a variety of economic, social and psychological pathways but it can also have negative effects. Workplace stress and muscular-skeletal damage are two of the leading causes of workplace absence across Europe and workplace health is an essential element to how long and well people live and therefore to active and healthy ageing. The health risks of sedentary occupations are increasingly recognised in terms of increased risk of cardio-vascular disease (REF) and so it is still important to develop appropriate and innovative mechanisms to improve people’s health and well-being at work.

In 2011 the Austrian government’s Federal Social Office initiated the Fit2Work programme in partnership with the Public Employment Service (AMS), the regional health insurance funds (GKK), the pension insurance funds (PV) and the Austrian Workers Compensation Board (AUVA) across all regions. Fit2Work (F2W) provides free advice and support services to workers and employers on a voluntary basis to prevent occupational ill-health and to enable a return to work after a period of sickness absence.

F2W advisors can be contacted by telephone, email or in person by individual workers or managers in enterprises in any sector for initial advice on health and work. Individuals can have an occupational health assessment for physical and psychological fitness that leads to the development of a comprehensive plan for work adjustments, health promotion, support to find alternative occupations and on financial support.

F2W aims for early interventions before health problems occur (primary prevention) but also offers preventive advice to employers and workers who are at risk of ill health due to work-related factors (secondary prevention) and tertiary prevention for people who have experienced ill health and absence from work. The advice is confidential and it is up to individuals or managers in companies to decide to follow it.

F2W works with employers to improve the health and well-being of their workforce by actively assisting employers to make and evaluate workplace adjustments over a period of time to assess the costs and benefits. More than 500 companies used this service in the three year period to 2014 and more than 35,000 individuals have contacted F2W to seek advice and support.

In relation to active ageing indicators, Fit2Work aims to improve the employment rate by preventing and reducing long-term sickness absence through increasing access to occupational health care services. This can affect workers of any age but it is particularly important for older workers who have been exposed to workplace risks for a longer period of time and can find it difficult to return to work after a prolonged period of sickness absence. It is also likely to have positive effects in relation to financial security and thus also to independent living.

Fit2Work website