Reduced sickness-related absences – This is how ISS Palvelut and Mehiläinen overhauled the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders

ISS Palvelut is one of the biggest service providers in the Finnish property industry and one of the largest private employers in Finland. The company’s sickness-related absences have mostly been caused by musculoskeletal problems, for which the company wanted to seek a solution together with Mehiläinen Working Life Services.

A lot of work had previously been done at ISS Palvelut to reduce sickness-related absences due to musculoskeletal disorders, but no effective results had been achieved. In 2019, ISS Palvelut decided that a new approach was needed to achieve a lasting change in sickness-related absences. Based on company-specific diagnostic analysis, we began to work together to develop a new process to prevent musculoskeletal disorders more effectively.

As a result of this work, we changed and streamlined the process leading to an appointment with an occupational physiotherapist. It became possible to book an appointment with an occupational physiotherapist directly without first seeing an occupational health physician. In 2020, ISS Palvelut’s costs associated with sickness-related absences decreased by EUR 80,000. In 2021, the number of absences due to musculoskeletal disorders decreased further and was 7,563 lower than in the previous year.

This collaboratively developed operating model has also been implemented as an established part of Mehiläinen Working Life Services operations, which also allows other Working Life Services customers to have quicker access to treatment for musculoskeletal disorders.

“For the first time, we are seeing a decline in long absences due to musculoskeletal disorders for two years in a row, which is unprecedented in a company like ours that carries out labour-intensive and moderately arduous work,” says Sari Vainikkala, ISS Palvelut’s Head of Employee Wellbeing.

Reference published in 4/2022