Proposed to save the health of office workers in St. Petersburg's housing and communal services through field work
The problem of physical inactivity in housing and communal services (HCS) has been proposed to be solved through field work and voluntary health insurance (VHI).
The problem of physical inactivity (sedentary lifestyle) is becoming one of the most underestimated professional threats not only for the construction industry but also for HCS, according to the management company "Kiprokо". According to insurers, office workers in the construction industry suffer from musculoskeletal diseases 2.4 times more often than the national average. According to the management company, specialists in dispatch services, customer service, accounting, lawyers, public relations specialists, and managers spend up to 90% of their working time in front of a monitor. At the same time, administrative staff experience the highest intellectual and emotional load, notes "Kiprokо".
"In my opinion, it is important for employers to stop perceiving health care as an additional social benefit. It is an investment in labor productivity and staff retention. Fitness memberships alone will not solve the problem. A comprehensive approach is much more effective: ergonomically organized workplaces, mandatory short breaks during the day, alternating office and field work where possible, prevention programs under voluntary health insurance, and regular medical check-ups," says Alena Tsygankova, head of the management company "Kiprokо".
The cost of replacing a qualified office employee, she recalls, citing an estimate from AIHR University, currently reaches 6–9 of their monthly salaries, so prevention becomes economically more beneficial than treatment and finding new staff.
"I am confident that in the coming years, corporate health will become one of the key KPIs for managers along with financial indicators. Because the quality of service that residents receive depends not only on digitalization of processes but also on the physical and emotional state of the employees who provide that service," says the head of the management company.
Demand for voluntary health insurance policies has surged since 2022, when the labor market transformed into a job-seeker's market: a shortage of personnel led to potential employees dictating their terms to employers. Currently, the VHI market in St. Petersburg has entered a phase of transformation: both businesses and insurers are beginning to cut costs.
At the same time, demand has arisen for other social bonuses that help save on taxes. More details in the material of "DP".
