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Unit 1: General information
Description of the aimClick to read 
In a first step, the users of the project and the instruments must understand the meaning of the concept of workability. With this instrument we give an insight into the background and the meaning of the term, explain in detail the “House of Workability” according to Prof Ilmarinen and the advantages of classifying all AKKU instruments within the house.
In addition, we provide an overview of the instruments, their focal points and their possible applications.
Target groupClick to read
Executives, owners, managing directors and employees
Benefits of the toolClick to read
The user will get an excellent overview of all the aspects of workability, the “House of Workability” and all the tools developed in the AKKU Europe Project
DurationClick to read
How to use the toolClick to read
The tool is organized in form of a presentation to learn step by step all the important aspects of workability and the “House of Workability”.
ContentsClick to read
IntroductionClick to read
Why is workability so important, especially for small and smallest companies and their employees?
High degree of workability – benefits for companies
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§The productivity of the company is ensured
§Motivation and satisfaction of employees increase
§Employee turnover decreases
§Competitive advantages can be secured
§The health rate is increased/ less absenteeism
§Employer attractiveness is increasing
§Shortage of skilled workers is avoided
§Planning security increases
§Healthy into retirement
§Working under ergonomically optimized working conditions
§Avoidance or reduction of stress and burn-out
§Increase in satisfaction
§Reduction of physical and psychological stress
§Personal development through qualification
§Improved working atmosphere
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ExplanationsClick to read
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What is workability?
Workability „(…) refers to the sum of the factors that enable an employee in a given work situation to successfully cope with the work tasks assigned to him.“1
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Individual requirements: health and competences
Company and work-specific aspects: working conditions and corporate culture
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Specific work requirements
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What is the definition of workability?
•The term workability includes individual aspects such as health and competencies as well as company- or work-specific aspects such as working conditions and leadership and corporate culture.
•It therefore describes not only the individual requirements of a person in order to meet the work requirements that arise, but also the operational conditions - both aspects are equally covered in the concept of workability.
ÜWorkability thus means a balance between the requirements of work or a workplace on the one hand and the aspects of health (individual), competence (individual), working conditions (company-specific) and corporate culture (company-specific) on the other.
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The “House of Workability”
A well-known model of workability comes from the Finnish scientist Juhani Illmarinen, who depicts the essential factors in his "House of Workability". In four floors, the influencing factors on a person’s workability are presented.
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The “House of Workability” – 4 floors1
1.Floor: Health and performance
§physical, psychological, mental-mental
§Health is the basis for all other floors, as it has a direct impact on the ability to work and performance.
2.Floor: Knowledge, technical ability (competences)
§Qualification, knowledge, skills, abilities, ability
§Qualifications and competences must be continuously expanded and adapted.
3.Floor: Values, attitudes, motivation
§Motivation, leadership culture, corporate culture
§For the workability, it is necessary to bring attitudes and motivations into line with the work of the employee.
4.Floor: Work environment, work organization, leadership
§Work environment, work content, work organization
§The top floor "pushes" with its weight on the lower levels and influences them.
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Is workability an issue for your company?
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Individual health as the basis of workability on the ground floor: Health promotion improves the workability.
§Do you make health offers to your employees?
§Do you have conversations when employees come back to work after an illness?
§Do you analyze sick leave and absenteeism?
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Is workability an issue for your company?
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Education and competences in the second level describe both professional and social skills and abilities.
§Do you assess the training needs of employees?
§Do you invest in the education and training of your employees?
§Are there systems for securing knowledge and passing it on?
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Is workability an issue for your company?
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The Values in the third level consist of individual attitudes and motivations that should be in harmony with the work.
§Are there systems for recognizing good performance and involving employees?
§Are employees involved in decision-making processes that affect their work?
§Is employee satisfaction measured regularly?
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Is workability an issue for your company?
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The Work itself includes everything that makes up one's own workplace: tasks, colleagues, superiors, structures, but also the working environment.
§Are workflows and production steps optimally coordinated?
§Is communication secured in such a way that all employees are promptly informed about innovations?
§Are the working conditions (working environment and work organization) designed to be health-friendly?
§Are the occupational safety regulations required for your company complied with?
§Which management tools do you use?
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The "AKKU Europe Project"Click to read
Project data
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AKKU Europe – Regulation of workability in small and smallest companies by multimedia-adapted tools
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01 October 2020 – 30 September 2022
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Small and micro enterprises in Europe: |
- Craft
- Service
- Gastronomy
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Trade
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Partners
The “AKKU Europe – House of Workability”
ToolsClick to read
Mindfulness – a tool to increase concentration
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Kind of tool:
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Guides
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Target group:
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Employees
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Description:
Mindfulness is a technique of meditation that helps to achieve work balance. Today's worker, under the influence of many stimuli, is often responsible for very different tasks and too many tasks to complete. Thus, the worker is not able to maintain attention or focus on a task for a longer period of time. Mindfulness technique trains the ability to pay conscious and full attention to the present moment. Effects include improving concentration, productivity, creative thinking and effective communication.
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Healthy workplace – Key areas of influence
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Kind of tool:
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Guides
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Target group:
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Employee or Employer
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Description:
The tool aims to show the different key areas of influence that can be mobilized or influenced in healthy workplace initiatives. Employers or employees can choose from the offered key areas for which they feel need to pay more attention in order to influence the improvement or creation of a healthy workplace, and how to develop the key areas effectively.
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How to support wellbeing and health in the workplace?
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Kind of tool:
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Checklists
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Target group:
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Employers of micro and small enterprises, human resources personnel
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Description:
The scope of this training tool is to support the wellbeing and health, and enhance the work participation of all employees, regardless of their current work ability and health status. In addition, the means of the Toolkit aid to prevent chronic health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, depression, and lung diseases. The mapping aids to recognize factors that already support employees to feel well at their workplace and what can be done in the future.
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What kind of leader are you?
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Kind of tool:
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Questionnaires
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Target group:
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Employers of micro and small enterprises
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Description:
This tool allows the identification of existing leader typologies. Managers can assess their aptitude and behavior by taking part in the questionnaire, so that they can reflect on their work and their relationship with their employees. Below you will find the description of each profile and you will identify yourself with one or more of them, following Daniel Goleman's theory, according to which different types of leaders can coexist in each person.
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Return to work process
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Kind of tool:
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Guides
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Target group:
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Employee and Employers
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Description:
This tool allows the users, based on their position in the enterprise, to understand the very meaning of the return to work process after a health problem or injury. This document helps reducing the time of further delaying of return to work process. The document offers a return to work guide and questionnaires for each profile to assess their knowledge and at which point in the process they did not pay any or enough attention, so they can adapt to the needs.
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Workplace lighting
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Kind of tool:
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Guides
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Target group:
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Employees and Small and Micro Enterprises Managers, entrepreneurs
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Description:
This tool allows micro-enterprises, small business and potential entrepreneurs to understand how lighting installations in workplaces should be conditioned, so that they allow the correct performance of the workers without damaging their visual health. These types of aspects are sometimes overlooked, as specific knowledge is often required. This document offers a guide and questionnaires to understand and adapt lighting conditions to achieve a workspace adapted to the needs of your workers.
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ToolsClick to read
Labour Risk Prevention
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Kind of tool:
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Guides
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Target group:
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Managers and Young workers
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Description:
This tool is useful for young employees to be aware of labor risks that can occur at the workplace and to know how to prevent them. The working environment can cause safety hazards for workers, represented by ladders, computers or other IT equipment. In these cases, the attitude of the worker is fundamental, in fact, in order to prevent risks, he or she should always use the equipment and working tools correctly and inform a superior if there are risks. With the following guidelines, young workers and their managers will receive recommendations concerning safety in the office, the preventive measures they can follow to avoid risks and hazards, and to ensure appropriate working arrangements for the worker.
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Work-Life-Blending and work overload
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Kind of tool:
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Guides
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Target group:
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Employers, small and micro enterprise managers, entrepreneurs, employees
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Description:
Digitalization enables access to data and media from almost everywhere. This means that the strict separation of work and private life is disappearing more and more. Work-life blending is the name of the game. Employees can also be available for clients at the weekend. They can not only do part of the work in the home office, but also sort out private matters during working hours as compensation. Sounds promising, but not every employee or employer is convinced. What significance work-life blending has in the world of work and what advantages and disadvantages are associated you will learn in this training.
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Assessment of employee’s motor and sensory skills and workplace accessibility
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Kind of tool:
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Questionnaires
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Target group:
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Managers of small, medium and large organizations, HR team members
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Description:
The tool is a measure designed to assess the individual’s ability to work, both for people actually in work and those who plan to return to work. It could be used by the HR team members to identify special needs of the prospective employee or to support decision-making with regard to workplace adaptations.
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Ensuring learning success - Applying new knowledge in everyday working life
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Kind of tool:
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Checklists
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Target group:
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Executives, owners and managing directors, Employees
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Description:
Continuous training is important to keep employees and managers up to date and to develop skills. Especially in seminars and workshops, it is necessary to prepare the seminar visit well and to transfer and apply what you have learned to everyday work. The entire company or certain departments and their employees can benefit if one of the employees learns something new.
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Digitalisation quick test
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Kind of tool:
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Excel + Questionnaires
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Target group:
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Employers, Small and micro enterprise managers and Employees
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Description:
Measure your digital maturity in just a few minutes. Digital transformation only succeeds completely - or not at all. Digital transformation requires enormous changes - that is clear to every company by now. But technological solutions alone are not enough. Digitalization affects all areas of your company - from strategy to customer relations to corporate culture. The aim of this instrument is to give you an evaluation of your digital transformation process.
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Competence test
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Kind of tool:
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Checklists
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Target group:
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Employers, small and micro enterprise managers, entrepreneurs, employees
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Description:
When planning and shaping one's own career, preferences and interests are in the foreground. Basic questions are "What do I like?" or even "What do I want to do?" One factor should not be neglected: "What am I good at?" A competence test will give you answers to exactly this question. The field of possible skills and strengths is wide, the competence test can show you which area you are particularly good at and so you can be successful. The tool explains what is depicted in a competence test, why everyone should take such a self-test to find out your strengths....
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ToolsClick to read
No stress with the stress – Stress Check
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Kind of tool:
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Checklists
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Target group:
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Executives, owners and managing directors
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Description:
It's not easy to tell if you're just a bit overworked and ready for the holiday or if the stress is making you sick. Your employees may also be exhausted due to constant stress. What about your company? The aim of this stress check is to recognize one's own stress situation and to make the stress situation transparent with the employees. The tool is a tool for management. It can be used without external consultants.
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The ‘WAI’ (Work-ability Index) questionnaire
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Kind of tool:
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Questionnaires
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Target group:
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Both management and employees (workers, clerks, etc.)
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Description:
Developed by CIIP (Italian inter-association consultation for prevention), the Work Ability Index (WAI) Questionnaire includes a very detailed list of questions aimed at investigating among employees not only the general level of satisfaction with the work but also, and most importantly, if the tasks carried out on a daily basis in their workplace are affecting (or acted already) their well-being, physical and/or mental health. The tool does not seem to have a specific target, meaning it can be addressed to management staff as employees. At the same time, it does not seems referring to any specific industry. External consultants as well managing directors can rely on it very efficiently and effectively.
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The IPAQ questionnaire
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Kind of tool:
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Questionnaires
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Target group:
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All, with no distinction on gender and demography, let alone professional background and occupation
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Description:
The IPAQ Questionnaire is a self-assessment tool developed by the IPAQ group. The questionnaire aims to help people in evaluating by themselves their level of physical activity. The categorical score model proposes three different outputs (i.e. ‘categories’): 1. Low: this result is for people that do not engage quite at all physical activities of any kind 2. Moderate: this result is for people practicing vigorous physical activity a minimum of 3 days a week OR 5 days a week of moderate-intensity physical activity OR 30 minutes per day of walk 3. High: this result is for people practicing moderate-intense physical activity 7 days a week The IPAQ Questionnaire is publicly available, in FREE and OPEN access: academics and scholars from all domain of science are highly encouraged to rely on it as methodological framework for their researches. The IPAQ Questionnaire comes in two different version: • Short version, recommended for small-piloting initiatives at local level OR in the case of “physical activity over the last seven days” • Long version, recommended for large-scale research programs OR in the case of “usual physical activity” (i.e. athletes, sportsmen/women) In the context of the AKKU project, partners will propose the short version as much more suitable to the scope and scale of this Work Package.
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Remote work: Do our workspaces fit our needs?
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Kind of tool:
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Questionnaires + Video
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Target group:
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Administration and workers
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Description:
Due to the pandemic, many businesses have implemented remote working, as a result, workers had to turn their homes into offices. Despite the resulting compromise to allocate home space for said ‘home offices’, it does not always meet the right security measures. This tool enables an analysis of home working stations to understand whether the adopted measures and habits are adequate, if they were not, advice and recommendations on how to improve them will be provided.
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Check Personnel Management
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Kind of tool:
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Checklists
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Target group:
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Executives, owners and managing directors
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Description:
Good staff is indispensable for your company's success. Their success depends largely on the employees. Whether people contribute their ideas and skills to the company depends largely on the quality of your personnel management. The decisive challenges for good personnel management are: increase the attractiveness as an employee and find, promote and retain good employees. The tool can be used by the entrepreneur himself – even without the support of an internal or external consultant. The checklist supports the prioritization of the right and necessary need for action.
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Labour risks and Prevention service
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Kind of tool:
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Questionnaires
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Target group:
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Employers and employees from all sectors
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Description:
The tool aims to inform employees and employers about the labor risk prevention service, to make sure that all rules are complied with, e.g., evaluations, delivery of material, training of employees. These are some of the aspects analyzed in the tool, which is useful for the enterprise to know what procedures are needed for the safety of the workers and for the workers to know what they should receive.
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ToolsClick to read
Stress-related work analysis – Staff survey for hospital doctors
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Kind of tool:
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Guides
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Target group:
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Description:
Do you know what the health of your doctors is like? Do you have an insight into how the working conditions of your clinic affect the medical staff in the different departments? If you want to get to the bottom of these processes, ask specifically. No one knows the answers better than your employees themselves. The aim of this instrument is to reduce stress for employees. The stress-related work analysis supports clinic management.
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Employee survey – how do I increase employee engagement in my company?
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Kind of tool:
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Infographics
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Target group:
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Employees
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Description:
A lack of employee engagement causes more absenteeism, higher employee turnover and inhibits innovation. It is therefore worthwhile to keep an eye on employee engagement and improve it. In this guide, you will learn how valuable feedback can be through exciting case studies. We show you how to properly design, implement and evaluate an employee survey.
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Check Workability – Management
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Kind of tool:
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Questionnaires
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Target group:
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Executives, owners and managing directors
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Description:
Maintaining the workability is an important success factor for companies. Especially due to the extended working life, it is important to maintain and promote the workability at various levels. The workability does not only mean health, but also includes other important aspects in the company such as working conditions, the lived corporate culture and the skills of the employees. The tool is a basic analysis tool to analyze the situation of management and employees about workability. It is a tool that can be used by an external consultant to take the right measures to improve the situation. The recommendations for action show concrete implementation steps to promote the workability or point to a deeper need for analysis. Based on the 20 questions on all floors of the “House of Workability” according to Prof. Ilmarinen, the tool enables an excellent assessment of the workability capacity of the management and the employees. Tool “Check Workability – Management” is the questionnaire for the management. Tool “Check Workability – Employees” is the questionnaire for employees.
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Check Workability – Employees
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Kind of tool:
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Questionnaires
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Target group:
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Employees
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Description:
Maintaining the workability is an important success factor for companies. Especially due to the extended working life, it is important to maintain and promote the workability at various levels. The workability does not only mean health, but also includes other important aspects in the company such as working conditions, the lived corporate culture and the skills of the employees. The tool is a basic analysis tool to analyze the situation of management and employees about workability. It is a tool that can be used by an external consultant to take the right measures to improve the situation. The recommendations for action show concrete implementation steps to promote the workability or point to a deeper need for analysis. Based on the 20 questions on all floors of the “House of Workability” according to Prof. Ilmarinen, the tool enables an excellent assessment of the workability capacity of the management and the employees. Tool “Check Workability – Management” is the questionnaire for the management. Tool “Check Workability – Employees” is the questionnaire for employees.
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Checklist and recommendations for safety at work
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Kind of tool:
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Checklists
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Target group:
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Management, owners, external consultants specialized in health and safety at work, HR
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Description:
In the following tables, readers will able the opportunity to familiarize with a very comprehensive sample of risks related to safety at work developed by the CIIP (Italian inter-association consultation for prevention). The tool is formally divided into 5 conceptual areas: 1. Prevention and work labor 2. Prevention and work environment 3. Prevention and organizational aspects 4. Prevention and workability 5. Mental health Each area is declined in further focus dimensions so as to be as inclusive as possible of the many different variables and dynamics that intervene for each focus areas. The tool is formally conceived to sustain management and/or owners in identifying the key areas of intervention to guarantee for their workers and employees a safe environment. As such it is to be intended as a referent and supporting tool.
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Assessment of employees’ health situation and ability to work
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Kind of tool:
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Questionnaires
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Target group:
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Employees and Small and Micro Enterprises Managers, HR team members
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Description:
The purpose is to identify employees at increased risk of long term incapacity and employees who are in need of immediate therapeutic help. It also identifies and isolates known risk factors related to the individual´s attitudes, social circumstances and health to detect known barriers to work. It is also used to get an overview of what the individual thinks is needed to improve his/her work ability.
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ToolsClick to read
Business Development Plan
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Kind of tool:
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Guides + Video
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Target group:
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Small and micro-business, entrepreneurs
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Description:
This tool allows potential entrepreneurs to recognize their qualities and exploit them thanks to a business plan. Before we start an enterprise, we must think of ourselves. Recognizing our strengths and weaknesses, seeking inspiration from other entrepreneurs or setting goals, obstacles or scenarios will help us understand the dynamics and possible situations in which we may find ourselves once we start our business. This form will allow you to analyze all these aspects succinctly and effectively.
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Check Office Workplace
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Kind of tool:
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Checklists
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Target group:
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Executives, owners and managing directors, Employees
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Description:
In many cases, working at a desk and on the screen is associated with special and sometimes very high loads, which can be avoided by a good design of the workplaces. As a result, the long-term maintenance of the workability can be supported by usually only small changes. The aim of this instrument is to improve office activities in such a way that employees can carry out their work in a healthy and unrestricted manner until retirement.
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Working sessions: interviews, meetings and team work
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Kind of tool:
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Infographics
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Target group:
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Small and micro enterprises
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Description:
The tool aims to show the different working sessions that can be carried out in small and micro enterprises and how to develop them effectively. small and micro enterprises and how to develop them effectively.
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Designing Work Sessions Well – Designing change management processes in small companies
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Kind of tool:
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Guides
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Target group:
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Executives, owners and managing directors
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Description:
Especially in small businesses, it is important that everyone pulls together. Especially in the case of change management processes, employees often react angrily if they are not informed in good time. It is often also helpful to involve employees in important change processes right from the start. In this way, a common understanding of the necessary measures can be created. One possibility for the participation of employees is the implementation of topic-related work sessions. The tool is of great importance to approach problem solving in the direction of company development in an employee-oriented manner.
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Onboarding – Induction of new employees
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Kind of tool:
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Checklists
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Target group:
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Employers, small and micro enterprise managers, entrepreneurs
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Description:
This tool allows employers, managers and entrepreneurs of micro-enterprises and small business to better integrate new employees. New employees should feel comfortable from day one. Because satisfied employees are more motivated, more committed, more productive. And they stay with the company longer - which is increasingly important, especially in view of the shortage of skilled workers.
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Staff management, correct assessment and motivation – a guideline
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Kind of tool:
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Guides
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Target group:
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Employees of small enterprises
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Description:
As a leader, it is not always possible for you to see into the smallest corners of your company. You are dependent on the help of your employees when it comes to uncovering weaknesses and improving them in a meaningful way. One instrument to improve the quality of your company is a so-called quality circle. In contrast to simple meetings or working groups, the clear objective here is to bring about positive changes in your company. It is important that participation is absolutely voluntary. Voluntariness creates motivation and leads to a tangible result. In the long run, your quality improvement will become a self-runner if everyone involved participates in the quality circles with a positive attitude and supports this form of cooperation.
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Employee appraisal
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Kind of tool:
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Checklists
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Target group:
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Executives, owners and managing directors
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Description:
The employee appraisal is used as a measure of personnel management. The exchange between supervisors and employees can take place in short and regular time intervals, but in practice there are often longer periods of time. Half-yearly or annual appraisals are used. Employees receive feedback on the status of the job as well as prospects for the coming months and years. At the same time, your own questions and concerns can be answered. For managers, such an employee appraisal has the advantage that feedback (in both directions) can be given in a quiet atmosphere. Ideally, the employee appraisals are used to design and drive forward personnel development in a targeted manner.
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Workability and AKKU Europe Project
