Industry:
Chemical and metal
Employees:
Around 31,000 worldwide
Start with Deep Care
October 2023
At SABIC, we do everything we can to create the right foundation. This means: take good care of your employees, always and in all respects. Invest in high-quality attention, with respect for personal space and freedom.
Dr Henri Hendrickx - Senior Manager Medical Care, SABCIEmployee health has long been more than just a "nice to have" - it is a key success factor for companies. But how can health promotion and well-being be sustainably anchored in the corporate culture in order to ensure health in the workplace? Well-intentioned health promotion initiatives often fail due to a lack of sustainability, without achieving measurable improvements in employee health or corporate goals. The collaboration between the chemical company SABIC, the health insurance company Zilveren Kruis and the health tech start-up Deep Care shows how things can be done differently. Together, they have deployed an innovative concept for workplace health promotion that not only promotes and measurably improves the health of employees directly in the workplace, but also brings economic benefits for the company.
Henri Hendrickx has been working as an ergonomist and occupational physician for SABIC Netherlands for over 35 years. As company doctor, he is responsible for occupational health and safety together with an interdisciplinary team of physiotherapists, nurses and support staff. At SABCI, this also includes organising workplace health promotion. Together with Zilveren Kruis, the biggest Dutch health insurance company, SABIC has been focussing on a wide range of measures to promote health and well-being for years.
In many ways, we're doing pretty well here. We have a first aid department with antibacterial walls, state-of-the-art hospital equipment, a changing room and a physiotherapy treatment room. We offer primary medical care, have our own pharmacy and our own vaccination program. However, as an occupational health and safety service, our main aim is to prevent injuries and discomfort. That's why we are always on the lookout for good prevention initiatives.
Dr Henri Hendrickx - Senior Manager Medical Care, SABCIFor office workers, the greatest strain on health comes from sitting all day. The lack of movement and the one-sided strain on the musculoskeletal system caused by desk work lead to a number of complaints. These are caused by a drop in metabolic activity, an undersupply of cells, a lack of oxygen in the brain and simultaneous overloading and underloading of the bone, muscle and joint structures. The consequences range from concentration difficulties and tension to chronic illnesses and are statistically known to more than 70% of all employees from their own experience.
The example of Sabic shows how difficult it can be to implement effective measures to promote health in the workplace of office workers. Despite ergonomic training and modern work equipment such as height-adjustable desks, many employees remained in poor sitting postures or did not move enough. These behaviors led to widespread complaints in the shoulders, neck and wrists - typical symptoms of “continuous sitting”.
To meet these challenges, SABIC opted for an innovative health and safety solution. Henri Hendrickx became aware of Deep Care through an internet search. Its AI-supported health coach Isa uses sensors to detect health risks such as poor posture or lack of exercise directly at the workplace and gives employees feedback in real time. The aim is not only to encourage short-term corrections, but also to promote healthy behavioral routines in the long term. To this end, the AI assistant Isa accompanies employees at their desks with low-threshold health impulses over a period of several weeks and identifies specific areas where action is needed. The tips range from behaviors such as standing desk use, posture and drinking habits to suggestions for the optimal design of the working environment, such as the ergonomic alignment of work equipment
Following an initial introductory meeting, SABIC decided to go straight into a four-week test phase. This already showed how effective the technology is: even company doctor Hendrickx recognized through the real-time feedback that his desk was incorrectly adjusted. Isa had used its sensors and intelligent AI algorithms to recognize that his shoulders were permanently raised due to the desk being too high. This practical example convinced many of his colleagues to try Isa out as well. Word of the positive experience quickly spread, with the result that around 75% of office workers at SABIC were using AI assistance - with lasting success. There were no costs or effort involved for the employees. They were able to have the smart health assistant delivered directly to their desk via a booking portal provided by Deep Care and then use it for six to twelve weeks. At the end of their use, the participating employees were sent a return slip and a digital questionnaire to evaluate the service anonymously.
Almost all participants completed the questionnaire in full and evaluated the company's new health program extensively in terms of personal benefits. The results were impressive:
The above points are just a few of the many positive effects on health behavior. In addition to the effects on the health behavior of employees, many other aspects such as frequency of use, low threshold, etc. were also surveyed and also rated as very positive.
In addition to improving employee health, the measures also led to a measurable reduction in absenteeism and greater job satisfaction.
Our physiotherapist practically no longer treats physical complaints. As a result, they now have much more time to support people with preventive treatments, help with exercises and provide information about healthy exercise habits.
Dr Henri Hendrickx - Senior Manager Medical Care, SABCIAlthough SABIC is already seen as an attractive employer by its employees and therefore has a low turnover rate, the BGF measure also strengthened the company's employer image.
The exemplary health concept at SABIC shows on the one hand how important it is to gear health measures to the needs of employees and to be open to new prevention concepts and ideas in occupational health management. On the other hand, the experience report also shows that employee health can be used as a strategic instrument for a resilient and healthy company if the employer makes it credible that it is concerned about the well-being of its employees. Dr. Hendrickx recommends that companies with many office workers should actively invest in the health of their employees, especially in view of the shortage of skilled workers.
The collaboration between SABIC, Zilveren Kruis and Deep Care shows that health measures with a clear focus on innovative technologies and long-term behavioral changes can achieve sustainable success. The use of Isa not only improved the health of employees, but also created tangible added value for the company.