IBV develops platform that helps companies to diagnose wellbeing of their workforce

The Biomechanics Institute (IBV) of the Universitat de València has developed a platform to diagnose the wellbeing of the workforce and help companies undertake health promotion measures. Furthermore, the tool makes it possible to analyze the effects of said measures by analyzing the evolution of the various wellbeing markers included in the platform.

This is the main result obtained in the Bienlabor project, financed by IVACE and ERDF according to the IBV's Innovation in Wellbeing and Workplace Health director, Mercedes Sanchís.

The IBV has developed its own methodology "which allows us to obtain different markers relating to the wellbeing of the workforce based on a series of questionnaires determined by the tool itself", Sanchís explains.

Specifically, "with Bienlabor we have designed and applied this methodology to an ICT multiplatform tool (responsive) for companies that is simple, intuitive, easy to use and accessible, so that the experience of use is completely satisfactory for all users. In this sense, it adapts the content and design to the different types of users: businesses and workers."

For the worker, the tool offers the possibility to complete questionnaires related to the different categories of wellbeing and obtain a personalized report with the diagnosis and evolution as the company performs different health promotion plans. Moreover, "we have taken into account that the tool ensures total confidentiality of the data guaranteeing that the company can not see individual information of the workers."

For the company, it offers a control panel that makes it easy to manage the various health promotion programs implemented and the effect they have on workers' wellbeing. "It also makes it possible to segment the results (always guaranteeing the workers' confidentiality), identifying possible health-promoting programs that could be set in motion and their prioritization", Sanchís adds.

Health promotion

Through this platform, "the IBV meets its objective of helping companies prevent, evaluate and promote health among their workers", Sanchís explains. In order to do so, "the results that evaluate the wellbeing of the workforce can be compared to the averages both on a national level as well as among companies of the same sector. With this comparison the company will have enough information to better understand its improvement margin.

"There is solid proof showing that companies that adopt health promotion programs at work reduce staff turnover and accidents at work. This evidence should not be ignored by companies, specially if they want to be sustainable and competitive, because promoting health at work contributes towards improving the wellbeing of the workers, and therefore their motivation and productivity", he adds.

We can also "contribute towards obtaining more safe and healthy work conditions, as well as improving the external image of the company to attract talent."

Wellbeing levels

The Bienlabor platform makes it possible to observe the changes in wellbeing through the evolution of different markers measured before and after kick starting the different health promotion programs.

Specifically, it identifies up to 50 markers that make for a holistic view of a person's wellbeing. "Implemented within this tool, their understanding allows us to establish the level of wellbeing of any given worker."

These markers analyze aspects related to one's lifestyle (physical activity, eating habits, rest or perceived health) and the wellbeing within the workplace (ergonomics, psychosocial risks such as anxiety, stress or a lack of motivation).

Valencian businesses' needs

Within the framework of the project, the IBV has collaborated with companies of the Valencia region such as SPB, 5 Tenedores, Cleanity, Embutidos Martínez, APISOL, Pinturas Montó and NUNSYS, among others, as well as entities such as the Unión de Mutuas and UMIVALE to learn about their needs when defining requirements for the platform. They have also validated an experimental platform to detect aspects that can be improved and will be taken into account for the final version.

It must also be noted that during validation "these companies identified as strengths the platform's simplicity, ease of use and that it makes it possible to obtain a comprehensive vision of the state of the staff, but also to segment the information and focus on the wellbeing categories that the company identifies as a priority when undertaking health promotion initiatives", concludes Sanchís.