Chemical industry unions participate in building an active nation and people: “This benefits us all”
The Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, the Industrial Union, Trade Union Pro and the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN are all participating in the concept Finland – An Active Nation and People. According to Director of Industrial Relations Minna Etu-Seppälä from the Chemical Industry Federation and National Collective Agreement Specialist Taru Reinikainen from Trade Union Pro, the concept devised by the Finnish Olympic Committee fits perfectly with the Attraction and Retention Programme that the unions previously launched for the chemical industry.
Etu-Seppälä and Reinikainen argue that the choices we make every day play a crucial role in promoting employee wellbeing.
– In terms of the appeal of our industry and the wellbeing of our employees, we need to focus on making simple, daily choices. We want to encourage all the companies in the industry to start thinking about solutions that might be effective in their particular community, says Etu-Seppälä.
– We can accomplish a lot more when the trade unions and the employers are both involved in the process. If the employers were the only ones talking about the importance of physical activity, sleep and a healthy diet, the impact would not be as extensive. It is great to see that we have managed to get so many people behind this concept, says Reinikainen.
Etu-Seppälä and Reinikainen both believe that this general consensus stems from an understanding of the balance between work and everyday life choices.
– In our industry, for example, shift work is quite common, underlining the importance of sleep. The ability to cope at work is linked not only to personal wellbeing, but also industrial safety. We want to emphasise that we are not talking about any massive new skills or tricks here. By simply paying attention to the basic pillars of life, you can significantly improve your wellbeing, says Etu-Seppälä.
UNREALISTIC GOALS DO NOT PRODUCE DESIRED RESULTS
As part of the Attraction and Retention Programme, the chemical industries have published a booklet of useful tips, which has been widely praised. The booklet offers practical tips and solutions, gathered from companies themselves, for promoting workplace appeal, employee retention and wellbeing.
– Our aim was to make the booklet as realistic as possible. Projects and campaigns such as this one are often designed by people who lead quite an active lifestyle themselves. We wanted to show that everyone can make more active choices within the framework of their daily routine; for example, by walking or cycling part of their commute, says Reinikainen.
– People often forget that small actions can have a big impact in the long run. Our goal is not to turn people into professional athletes or to set unrealistic goals. We want to emphasise that ‘better choices’ means something different for everyone, says Etu-Seppälä.
ATTRACTION AND RETENTION PROGRAMME HAS SPARKED INTEREST
Produced under the Attraction and Retention Programme, the booklet of useful tips is available in Finnish, but due to popular demand, it will also be translated at least into English.
– The Attraction and Retention Programme has sparked a lot of interest. We also have many organisations with foreign ownership. Our idea is to invite different kinds of pilot companies into the programme that are hoping to drive the wellbeing of different-aged employees even further, says Etu-Seppälä.
– We hope to make a change that is as far-reaching as possible. We (the chemical industry unions) are all proud to be a part of this. We want to do things in a new way. This is only the beginning, she adds.