Urgent need for improved recovery strategies in healthcare and social welfare sectors, study finds

Doctor at a consultation in a health center in Espoo. LEHTIKUVA

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A new study highlights a growing concern in the healthcare and social welfare sectors: only 35% of employees are recovering adequately from their work, raising alarms about their long-term health and the sustainability of these critical industries.

The study, conducted by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and released on August 15, 2024,

reveals that inadequate recovery among healthcare and social welfare workers is leading to significant risks, including diminished work performance, increased health issues, and potential reductions in work ability. These sectors, already grappling with labor shortages, are facing an even greater challenge if recovery rates do not improve.

Young and Older Workers Particularly Affected

The study presents concerning statistics: only 29% of healthcare and social welfare professionals under 30, and 39% of those over 60, report recovering well from their work. Overall, just 35% of employees across all age groups in these sectors experienced adequate recovery. Even among supervisors and managers, who are critical in shaping workplace culture, recovery rates were only slightly better, at 40% and 41% respectively.

The Role of Management in Recovery

Research Professor Jaana Laitinen of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health emphasizes that individual recovery efforts alone are insufficient. Instead, there is a pressing need for community-level recovery strategies, which require competent and proactive management. These strategies involve better workload management, increasing re

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi