Professional reliability of personnel and corporate wellness programs

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At the present stage of labour resources development and improvement, there is an uneven distribution of the labour force across the most developed industrial regions. Volga Federal District shows the largest decrease in the labour force, the Central Federal District has almost no change in the number of workers, and in the North Caucasus Federal District it is increasing. For 2022 – there is a decline in the population of Perm Krai, compared to 2021, by 48,613 people, including urban population by 42,251 people.

Aging processes in the labour force are evident, particularly due to the movement of the smaller generations of the 1990s and early 2000s into the working age group and the increase in the labour activity of the older generations. The share of workers under 40 will decrease from 42.0 % in 2019 to 37.4 % in 2030. Demographic changes will produce a multidirectional impact on the number and structure of the labour force in different regions of Russia. These changes will depend on economic activity of older age groups and the ability of regions to attract migrants, both domestic and international. At the same time, the ageing of the labour force is a serious challenge for the Russian economy [1]. The mortality rate of working age people in 2022 in Perm Krai amounted to 9036 people (100 %), the structure of causes of death is as follows: circulatory diseases – 30.7 %, neoplasms – 13.2 %, external causes – 24.8 %, other causes – 31.3 %. Cardiovascular pathology takes the leading position in causes of mortality [2].

Perm Krai constitutes a significant share of the national industrial production. It is home to large industrial complexes, including chemical, petrochemical, metallurgical, aviation and machine-building industries, as well as power and construction facilities. Perm Krai holds resources for mining minerals such as oil, potassium salts and hard coal. There are 67 large industrial enterprises and 404 medium-sized organisations on the territory of Perm Krai (7.3 % of the total number of enterprises in Perm Krai). These industries shape the environment and have a direct impact on the health of the population. Labour conditions at industrial enterprises of Perm Krai have been unfavourable for a long time practically in all spheres. This leads to occupational diseases among working people of working age as well as their disability [3]. At the same time, the share of preventive medical examination coverage remains consistently high – 98 %. In 2022, only 36 people were diagnosed with occupational diseases for the first time (total number of diseases – 37), including:

• length of service (contact with hazardous factors): less than 10 years – 4.3 %, 11–20 years –19.4 %, 21–30 лет – 30.6 %, more than 30 years –44.4 %;
• by age: up to 40–13.9 %, 41–50 years old – 25 %, 51–60 years old – 38.9 %, above 60 – 22.2 %;
• by sex: men – 63.9 %, women – 36.1 % [4].

Health of workers is determined not only by workplace hazards, but also by social and individual factors and the availability of health services. Considerable improvements in industrial safety have been made in recent decades. Assessing the risks of chronic non-communicable diseases, health screenings, safety training, use of protective equipment and workplace improvements all contribute to safer workplaces [5]. Successful implementation of new technologies and good labour culture led to a significant reduction in the exposure to adverse occupational factors that can cause occupational diseases. However, the workload and intensity, as well as the level of psycho-emotional stress increased in parallel. This new environment of adaptation may contribute to the formation of corticovisceral malfunction and autonomic nervous system imbalance. This leads to an increased risk of developing psychosomatic pathology or aggravating the existing functional changes in organ systems. The cardiovascular system is highly susceptible to psycho-emotional stress [6].

Unfortunately, the introduction of market relations in the production sphere is not followed by employers' efforts to ensure safe and healthy labour conditions to protect the health of workers and the population as a whole. Based on medical statistics in Russia, only 20 % of computerised workplaces meet modern safety standards.

Research on the health effects of computers produces mixed conclusions, ranging from claims of absolute safety to suggestions of possible genetic risk. Periodic medical check-ups of this group of workers revealed various deviations in their state of health. It is worth noting that there is not yet a clear systemic response of the organism to exposure to computer related factors, and the diagnostic package at the level of preclinical disorders has not been developed [7] In 2022, 610 thousand inhabitants of the Perm Krai underwent preventive examinations and check-ups of the adult population, of which more than half (54 %) were citizens of working age. In 2022, almost 30,000 people who underwent check-ups were diagnosed with chronic diseases for the first time. 52 per cent of diseases of the circulatory system and 56 per cent of malignant neoplasms were detected during the check-up among persons of working age.

Nowadays, when the dynamic nature of business processes and market competition require high professional reliability of personnel [8], it becomes essential to highlight the theoretical fundamentals and practical approaches in this area. Personnel reliability in carrying out their duties is fundamental to run business successfully [9].

Recent global health statistics show alarmingly high levels of numerous key risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Almost one in four people in the world continues to use tobacco. Adult activity leaves much to be desired, with one in four adults lacking adequate levels of physical activity. Obesity and hypertension problems are gaining momentum worldwide [10].

To develop the theoretical basis for professional credibility, several key aspects have been considered.

Personnel professional reliability plays a key role in the effective business running. It is widely recognized that a reliable workforce is an important element in the success of any business, ensuring that it achieves its objectives [11].

Within this context, it is critical to understand the various factors affecting personnel professional reliability and to develop methods and techniques to ensure this credibility, including through the implementation of corporate wellbeing programmes.

A.A. Shalimov's research article "Professional training as a method of labour motivation of personnel" considers the effect of training and development on personnel productivity [12]. The author claims that training and development programmes can increase the personnel professional reliability by teaching them the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their functions successfully, and that professional training is undeniably a powerful incentive to motivate employees, provided that the process is properly managed. Based on the concept of building career paths, it is essential to select educational programmes with care, taking into account the individual particular features of each labour group.

Each team member is seen as a unique balance of being a career manager and owner of unique personality traits. This emphasizes the inherent importance of embracing individuality in the development of career plans. A careful study of the professional background, as well as the results of psychological assessment of personal, business and collective traits, becomes an indispensable part of the determination of adequate individual development strategies.

It is a central task to identify the skills and knowledge for which a company is ready to reward its employees through training. The process of professional growth should align perfectly with the internal strategy of the company, and the actual set of knowledge provided by the company should be constantly evolving and diverse, without stagnation and providing the highest level of competence.

In the article " Personnel involvement – the main reserve for increasing the efficiency of modern companies" N.V. Gromova emphasizes that employee engagement is a critical factor contributing to the professional reliability of personnel [13]

N.V. Gromova emphasizes that employee engagement is a crucial factor contributing to the personnel professional reliability [13]. The author believes that engaged employees are more motivated for high performance and are ready to make a significant contribution to the success of the company. Low team cohesion can impede a company's high performance, and vice versa. There are a number of factors that rely on the terms and conditions offered by the company as an employer that influence the level of employee engagement. These can include career opportunities highlighting the value of employees, organizational processes, service recognition and reputation to the employer. Analysis of these factors can serve as a useful tool for company management and HR subdivisions in developing programmes to enhance employee engagement.

Thus, high level of the personnel involvement results in an innovative environment in the company that favours both the emergence of innovative ideas and faster implementation. This brings out the importance of managing the factors that influence involvement of the personnel, as a strategic area for arriving at the corporate success.

In the work of O.L. Osadchuk "Shaping the occupational reliability of a professional specialist" it is emphasized that, when raising the issue of the degree of reliability of professional activity, we enter the zones of not only labour psychology, but also professional education, where these two worlds are intertwined in a surprising pattern [14]. A specialist's professional training formation requires that his "backpack" "contains" self-regulation as a reliable tool that guarantees stability in his professional sphere. It is here when the importance of psychological support for vocational education, which, just like technology, facilitates the development of this credibility, comes into play. One of the key principles of this support is respect for the right of individuals to make their own decisions regarding their professional career development and to take responsibility for these decisions. The task of psychological support is limited to the provision favorable conditions to the full professional growth of the individual.

Pursuant to the concept of E.F. Zeer (2000), psychological support is seen as a complex process of studying, shaping, developing and improving the professional growth of an individual. Thus, the psychological support technique of forming the professional activity reliability through the development of self-regulation includes three key stages: 1. Diagnostics of the learner's self-regulation level in the process of professional education. 2. Providing information about the fields and methods of self-regulation development. 3. Support and assistance in the development of learners' self-regulation in the process of vocational education and training. Efficient implementation of this technique becomes possible through the use of personality-oriented methods of vocational development, such as developmental psychodiagnostics, professional training and psychological consulting on issues of personal and professional growth. Ultimately, effective psychological support in the formation of professional activity reliability should become an inherent part of the integral process of personally oriented professional education.

The work of E.A. Rodionov "Psychological factors of efficiency of employees of a modern business" highlighted the fundamental components affecting the performance of the enterprise personnel [15]. One of the significant aspects that emerged was the focus on meeting the needs and expectations of all participants in the company, from shareholders to the company as a whole. Based on the assumption that efficiency is closely linked to the level of employee engagement, the importance of meeting their basic needs is emphasized.

One of the important models of motivation, based on the law of R.M. Yerkes and J.D. Dodson, reveals the relationship between the intensity of motivation and the quality of activity. The growth of motivation initially improves efficiency, until it reaches the optimal level, which is followed by a gradual decline in success.

Therefore, ensuring an optimal level of motivation, with due regard to the individual features of each employee, becomes an indispensable condition for harmonized labour activity and excellent results achievement.

The key aspect that stands out in achieving production growth is result orientation, including the company, group and individual components. Certain departments and employees are recognized as effective not only by achieving personal plans, but also when these achievements align with the company's overall objectives. The company-provided resources, including information, material, value and process, become the tools and the employee returns the result. The coincidence of both the employee's and the company's view towards the outcome is the basis for profit and loyalty. The important factor is the understanding of the result by each employee. If processes are clearly defined, the outcome tends to meet expectations. However, if goals and outcomes are not clearly defined, individual views of success may differ greatly, causing disintegration of efforts. The perfect situation exists if each employee understands his or her role, conforms to it, and aligns his or her actions with a shared vision. However, when employees have different understandings of goals, they may face inconsistencies and even conflicts, creating a situation of "every man for himself".

The performance management strategy is intended not only to ensure ongoing performance, but also to develop employees. The employee's competence becomes the key element, which implies the ability to act in accordance with the company's goals and the position's standards, and possessing the personal qualities necessary to achieve results.

It is impossible to avoid such an important aspect as communication within the context of employee performance assessment. If there are no effective "vertical" and "horizontal" communication channels within the company designed to create a positive climate for ongoing dialogue between managers and team members, it can make it difficult to identify expectations and share information regarding the mission, values and goals of the company. Performance management, in turn, contributes to the development of the company by involving employees in the processes of defining their own goals and methods of achieving them.

Hence, employee efficiency is a deeper notion than just a productivity factor. It comprises a set of psychological factors that determine personal efficiency. Employee performance assessment cannot be considered apart from the context of the company. Success in one's personal field does not always transform to effectiveness for a particular company. An employee may excel in one company but be ineffective in another. It is important not only to understand but also to adopt the company's goals and objectives, and to work in a team where the common goal corresponds with the company's mission. An employee who can meet his or her needs in such an environment is often more effective.

K.Y. Yashkina in her research article "Health as the most important element of an employee's labour potential" attracts attention to the importance of health as the indicator of labour potential in view of three factors – the individual, the organization and society [16].

For an individual, health means not only the ability to work, but also the lack of forced sick leave due to health problems. It is a crucial factor that affects his personal performance and the overall outcome of his work life. At the corporate level, the health status of the personnel directly affects the amount of time lost due to employee illnesses and the additional expenses incurred by the company to maintain the health of its employees. Team Health Management is becoming a key factor for the company development.

At the level of the society, health affects life expectancy and the cost of a state's health care system. Health maintenance becomes an integral part of the social policy and employer's social responsibility. Nowadays, personnel health management is a crucial aspect of the company development and improvement. Managers realize that employee health has a significant impact on work performance and therefore encouraging employees to maintain and improve their health gains priority [17]. However, in the current environment, traditional approaches to maintaining employee health, such as holding workplace exercises, promoting healthy lifestyles and providing VHI programmes, and holding sporting events, suffer from limitations, which entail inability to fully resolve the existing problems. Health initiatives considered apart from other activities prove insufficient to ensure comprehensive health promotion. Now we are facing the challenge to revise the traditional methods of influence and implement a comprehensive approach that includes preventive measures and maintaining the overall health of employees.

Thus, investment in personal health requires a comprehensive approach aimed at forming, maintaining and improving health. The scope of these investments depends on numerous factors. It is important to emphasize that the approach aimed at long-term economic impact transforms social expenditures into real investments and effective measures to maintain health and labour potential.

Against a common acknowledgement of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, there is a recognition that motivating employees to adopt an active healthy lifestyle is a challenge. Despite the fact that many people are aware of the importance of healthy lifestyles, not everyone follows these principles successfully. This emphasises the importance of creating conditions and establishing a supportive environment that would encourage employees to adopt healthier lifestyles [18].

Today, preserving health is becoming one of the main tasks of society and the responsibility of the employer. Companies should actively implement measures to prevent diseases and improve working conditions. The employer is responsible for striving to create a ‘healthy workplace’, taking into account the physical and psychosocial needs and lifestyles of employees. Only a comprehensive approach can prove to be an effective method of improving the health of employees and increasing overall labour productivity.

A healthy workplace (as defined by the World Health Organization's Healthy Workplaces: A Model for Action programme) is a place in which workers and managers collaborate to use a continual improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety and well-being of all workers, to contribute to the improvement of the workplace while managing major workplace challenges. The main theses include that the main efforts of both employers, employees and the state in the field of health promotion should be directed to [19]:

• Health and safety in the physical work environment;
• Health, safety and well-being in the psychosocial work environment, including workplace management and workplace culture;
• Personal health potential of the employee at the workplace;
• Ways to participate in joint work aimed at improving;
• Health of workers, their families.

Thus, the studies within the reference list confirm the importance of ensuring personnel professional reliability and describe various methods and factors that may affect this process.

Thus, the labour efficiency of an employee with preserved health poses a complex mosaic image, which is formed by the interaction of various factors and requires a systematic approach to human resource management [20]. A balanced and timely approach to professional training, motivation, psychological support and health is the key to establishing a productive and sustainable workforce in the company [21]. Employer-supported programmes that focus on health and safety at work play an important role in improving the overall well-being of employees. Active measures implemented in the daily business activities of companies contribute to the improvement of personnel health and, at the same time, reduce the risks of occupational diseases [22].

Thus, the development of corporate wellbeing programmes aimed at maintaining and improving the physical and psychological health of employees, as well as at developing their professional skills and qualities, becomes a strategic step for the company towards creating a healthy and supportive environment, which results in a win-win situation for both employees and the business as a whole. In addition, the development of such programmes can be both a business initiative and an observance of the trends of the Russian Federation's state policy. Increasing healthy life expectancy in Russia is a strategic objective for the period up to 2030. [23]. This goal can be achieved by improving the health of workers through the introduction of measures to correct risk factors in the workplace. The implementation of the motivation system of citizens towards a healthy lifestyle in the workplace is included in the federal project ‘’Promoting Public Health‘’ of the national project ‘’Demography‘’ [24].

With the introduction of corporate programmes, employers are obliged to create conditions to encourage employees to adopt healthy lifestyles, including quitting smoking and alcohol consumption, switching to a healthy diet and increasing physical activity. Tasks to preserve health, ensure the well-being of personnel, ensure safety in the field of occupational health and safety, as well as the implementation of comprehensive social programmes are included in the social block of the concept of sustainable development of the company (ESG), presented in the RSPP collection of corporate practices [25].

Conclusions

To ensure the long-term professional reliability of personnel, we need to revise traditional strategies and introduce innovative programmes focusing on disease prevention, physical activity and general health promotion. Preventive measures aimed at health promotion, creation of conditions in which employees can fully develop, feel at ease in the team and successfully cope with professional challenges are becoming an integral part of corporate responsibility for personnel well-being. A common trend in corporate practice emphasises that companies that focus on the well-being of their employees tend to be more successful in attracting and retaining skilled people, which in turn strengthens their image as an employer of choice.

Following these conclusions, it is recommended that companies and organisations:

• Invest in vocational training: it is essential to develop training programmes that meet the needs of employees and the company and provide access to relevant knowledge and skills;
• Encourage motivation: creating motivational systems to address the individual needs of employees. Company values should be emphasised by providing career opportunities and recognition;
• Develop self-regulation: employees should be supported to develop self-regulation skills. This can be achieved through psychological support, training and the provision of a favourable working environment;
• Take care of health: introduce programmes to support health of employees. Wellbeing programmes should work to communicate not only the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, but also to create an environment in which taking care of health becomes a natural and valued part of the corporate culture. Such an approach, which focuses on establishing an environment for self-care, in addition to introducing health programmes, can remove barriers and make the path to a healthy lifestyle more affordable and available to a wide range of employees;
• Develop effective communication: encouraging open and effective communication within the company will help to identify expectations and ensure information exchange on key aspects of the company's culture and goals;
• Adopt a holistic approach: the worker should be regarded not only as a performer of duties, but also as a person, to integrate health care, training and motivation to form a productive and effective labour potential.;
• Involve employees in the process: employees should be encouraged to participate in decision-making, which enables them to actively influence their working environment and goals. This contributes to higher levels of engagement and responsibility.

Employers, by following these guidelines, can establish a healthy work environment that enhances employee performance and satisfaction, and consequently ensures a higher level of personnel professsional reliability.

About the authors

N. N. Malyutina

E.A. Vagner Perm State Medical University

Email: dr-malyutina@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3475-2505
SPIN-code: 9767-7035

MD, PhD, Professor, Head of the Department of Faculty Therapy № 2, Professional Pathology and Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics

Russian Federation, Perm

K. V. Mudraya

Public Health and Medical Prevention Center

Email: caysha@bk.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0009-8793-8598

Head of the Department of Municipal Public Health Problems Development, Implementation and Monitoring

Russian Federation, Perm

S. V. Luzina

Clinical Hospital “Russian Railways – Medicine”

Author for correspondence.
Email: sosnin_dm@mail.ru
SPIN-code: 7400-5306

Candidate of Medical Sciences, Chief Physician

Russian Federation, Perm

References

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