Oostendorp is setting a new standard when it comes to keeping staff healthy, through collaboration with healthcare professionals from Rondom

**Eindhoven, 31 March – As pressure on the healthcare system continues to mount, employers are increasingly taking matters into their own hands to keep their staff healthy. Healthcare organisation Rondom in Bedrijf is launching an innovative approach at Oostendorp – a well-known name in the automotive sector in East Brabant, South Gelderland and North Limburg for almost 50 years – to tackle absenteeism due to illness and boost staff well-being.**

Growing waiting times in healthcare and staff shortages are leading to more serious health problems and increased sick leave in the workplace. Oostendorp, with 550 employees spread across 19 branches, has therefore made a conscious decision to prioritise preventive measures and rapid access to care.

Innovative support in health and (preventative) careWith its stepped-care programme, Rondom in Bedrijf offers a unique solution for the Dutch workforce. Employees gain immediate access to the right care they need to keep them fit for work, such as physiotherapists, psychologists and lifestyle coaches, and are encouraged to take an active role in managing their health via a special health app. At Rondom, over 350 (healthcare) professionals work together to keep employees healthy. Through this, Oostendorp aims to reduce sick leave whilst encouraging employees to take an active role in managing their own health.

Ellen Nuijten, director of Rondom in Bedrijf, emphasises that this goes beyond simply a health app: “You don’t just bring about change with technology alone. Genuine behavioural change requires attention, time and social interaction in the workplace.” Through gamification, challenges and a rewards system, the programme encourages employees to make healthy choices. “We draw on more than 2,000 years of combined experience in caring for people to help employers and their staff.”

Employees do not need to worry about their healthcare costs, as these are paid for by the employer as part of the all-inclusive salary. Through its partnership with Rondom in Bedrijf, Oostendorp contributes to a healthy and pleasant working environment, where staff feel good about themselves and where health issues are addressed at an early stage, before they lead to long-term absence.

“Healthy staff are essential to keeping our business running,” says Michael Letsch, Director of People & Organisation at Oostendorp. “We invest not only in the physical health but also in the mental wellbeing of our staff. Especially now that access to healthcare is becoming increasingly difficult, we are taking our responsibility seriously.”