Promoting health is also in the employer’s best interest, which is why it’s worth investing in

Today, ensuring the well-being of the company and its employees is perhaps more important than ever. Many employers are surely wondering how they should invest in employee well-being and what kind of preventive measures would yield tangible benefits. We were mulling over the same ideas here in Olkiluoto as we planned our 2025 initiatives and considered ways to get our staff interested in their own well-being.

Our sick leave situation has generally been good, and for example, our TyEL category is 1. This means that our risk of disability is extremely low. Our sick leave rate last year was 2.5%, which is a low figure by national standards. However, we are aware that risk factors related to age structure and lifestyle can also make our staff susceptible to lifestyle-related diseases. These so-called epidemics, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and musculoskeletal disorders, incur significant annual costs for both employers and society.

In the nuclear industry, it is important to take a preventive approach rather than simply fixing problems after they arise. We uphold this same philosophy when it comes to the well-being and health of our staff. Here, too, prevention is always easier and more cost-effective than dealing with problems that have already arisen.  In recent years, Finland has seen the emergence of several technological innovations that support preventive work. Here in Olkiluoto, we have a large team of engineers and other technical professionals whose daily work is guided by data and verifiable facts. Knowing them, it is precisely these kinds of fresh, technology-based solutions that spark their interest. But how do we reconcile this with our health promotion challenge — namely, motivating individuals themselves?

As if by chance, at just the right moment, the news reported on a fresh Finnish success story: the e-Health Station developed by MedicubeX, which enables the quick and effortless measurement of work ability risks directly at the workplace. The idea immediately gained traction, and collaboration with occupational health services and MedicubeX quickly progressed to implementation. The world’s first e-Health Station in occupational health use was installed in Eurajoki for the staff of the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant in early September 2025.

Now that we’ve been using it for a few months, I can say that interest has been overwhelming. During the first few weeks, we had over 750 visits, and the start of the year clearly brought a new surge in visitors. The measurement takes about five minutes, and after the visit, everyone receives a printout of their results and a risk analysis, along with a recommendation based on those results to either continue self-monitoring on the e-Health Station or seek guidance from a professional.  So far, occupational health guidance has been utilized relatively little.

Although the effects of lifestyle changes are visible over the long term, we want to develop our collaboration with occupational health and MedicubeX in a direction that also gives us a better understanding of our staff’s well-being. Currently, the results from the e-Health Station are not transferred directly to occupational health services; instead, we have chosen to first test the system and develop it in line with our staff’s wishes. Based on a recent survey we conducted, our staff also expressed a desire to be able to transfer the measurement results directly to occupational health services if they choose to do so. This would lower the threshold for receiving support for lifestyle changes from occupational health professionals.

I believe that, going forward, innovations like this could be incorporated into health checkups or used to supplement mandatory checkups, thereby reducing the time spent by occupational health nurses and improving follow-up care. This spring, we have also introduced the e-Health Station in connection with health checkups — albeit as a voluntary component. Those coming in for a checkup are asked to visit the e-Health Station before their appointment and bring the results with them for a professional to review.

From the employer’s perspective, supporting employee health is an investment in productivity and work ability. Preventing lifestyle-related diseases and improving one’s own energy levels enhances work performance and also makes people feel more comfortable at work. For us, maintaining work ability is a clear competitive advantage that attracts skilled workers and retains current employees.