From sporadic health initiatives to a living health strategy

25 years of workplace health

Fredrik Karlsson founded Twitch Health 25 years ago, frustrated that the industry mainly reached people who were already healthy. The question companies keep asking: “We only reach the converted.”

Why companies invest in health

Drivers have shifted from sickness absence costs to employer branding, to hidden performance losses from poor sleep, pain and stress – and now to attracting people back to the office. Mental health gets more attention, but physical health matters just as much: body and mind are connected.

A leadership and board issue

Fredrik sees health as a management issue – and one that should reach the board as part of human sustainability. New social sustainability reporting can help “the soft become hard”.

Healthy leadership comes first

In 2005, Twitch trained managers in health-promoting leadership – and nothing happened. Only when managers experienced recovery techniques and training themselves did they start initiatives in their teams. Healthy leadership means mastering the basics: reasonable sleep, relationships, food, movement and tools for reflection – not being the manager posting 4.30 am workout photos.

Start where you are

Look at the data you already have, add a simple survey of physical, mental and social health, face the facts and take one step at a time. Twitch’s “activation ladder” moves from no health work, via activities and a strategic approach, to activating leadership.

Key takeaways

• Initiatives that only reach the already active are not enough.
• Physical and mental health go hand in hand.
• Start with managers’ own health – it drives initiatives in teams.
• Start where you are: use existing data, prioritise and take one step at a time.
• Link health work to your values and make it a leadership issue.