sustainable employability: how do you get to the core?

Sustainable employability means that employees have ongoing opportunities throughout their working lives to continue working now and in the future while maintaining health and well-being. How do you keep employees sustainably employable? Does the key lie with the employee himself or with you as an employer and the organization? Spoiler: it's all connected.

De Arbodienst strives to "make and keep all of the Netherlands sustainably employable. Our clients share the same vision. However, the Labor & Health Advisors see that this is interpreted in various ways. We frequently see that concerns about an employee's sustainable employability are often not discussed until the employee has already been absent. Much of absenteeism can be prevented if sustainable employability is discussed earlier. When do you have this conversation and does the employee actually fit in with your company?

Some clients have a prevention arc with countless options for their employees. Wonderful to see and nice that the employer cares about the well-being of his/her employee. But is this what sustainable employability stands for? After all, many of these interventions are only deployed when absenteeism is imminent. Of course, we would rather see an employer bet on prevention, rather than intervening only when an employee is absentee. The question then arises: where does sustainable employability for employees begin? Amplification, strengthening employees by creating an inspiring work environment, is at the core of the company and that is where sustainable employability starts.

Ultimately, it is not the interventions you apply or the actions you deploy when someone is already in absenteeism that make you, as an employer, engage with someone's sustainable employability . It all starts with a healthy company culture in which employees do meaningful work, experience freedom and receive appreciation. In this regard, it is important that employees give each other honest feedback, as this promotes employees' personal development. Employers should also give their employees autonomy. If an employee feels and takes responsibility, he or she will focus on what is going well and what is not, and take more initiative. Intrinsic motivation grows as a result, people experience more job satisfaction and employees feel more motivated and productive.

Of course, it is important that there is a match between the position and the employee. The common goal must be clear to both the employer and the employee. If an employee has a different expectation for a particular position within a company, chances are that dissatisfaction and misunderstanding will arise. Ultimately, this can eventually result in absenteeism . It is therefore important that the position and the work to be performed are clear. An employee who feels at home in a position is less likely to be absentee.

So are the opportunities offered by companies to keep their employees fit and vital a waste? No, certainly not. Despite a shared mission and vision, it may be that someone is temporarily out of place or wants to develop further. An intervention can contribute to recovery. It is often not work-related factors that cause someone to use an intervention.

Should you have doubts about the sustainable employability of your employee, start the conversation early and discuss whether you are still on the same wavelength. That is sustainable employability. Want to know the best way to start this conversation or need advice on how to deal with your employees in a sustainable way? The Labor & Health Advisor of De Arbodienst supports employers and managers in entering into discussions with employees. Want to know what a Labor & Health Advisor can do for you? Then contact us without obligation.