Praise for 20 years of health management      

Health management at Bielefeld University has been awarded first prize in the category ‘Sonderpreis Hochschule’ [Special prize for universities] of the Corporate Health Award 2013. For the fifth time in succession, the German financial newspaper Handelsblatt, the TÜV SÜD, and EuPD Research Sustainable Management have awarded prizes to the healthiest companies in Germany. The award-giving ceremony was held on Wednesday evening (20 November) in Frankfurt am Main. The Corporate Health Award 2013 went to companies in 10 sector categories and one special category. This year, a total of 323 companies – more than ever before – and 20 universities entered the competition.

The panel of experts explained its decision as follows [translated]: ‘Bielefeld University receives the Corporate Health Award 2013 for the excellence of the theoretical basis and practical implementation of its health management. Bielefeld University understands how to involve not only academic and administrative staff but also students, and thereby lay the foundations for the healthy staff and managers of tomorrow.’

The University Chancellor Hans-Jürgen Simm, who received the award, emphasized: ‘We understand corporate health management as a sustained and profitable investment in the future from which all of us will profit: staff and students in the form of better health and the university through better research, work, and study performance. For us, this prize is a fine sign of appreciation for 20 years of commitment to corporate health management.’

Twenty years ago, Bielefeld was the first university in Germany to take advantage of the expertise of its newly founded Faculty of Health Sciences to place its internal health management on a sound scientific footing. Since then, health has been further developed systematically as a central target area at Bielefeld University by drawing on the latest scientific findings on work, organization, and health.

Bielefeld University offers students and staff a host of target-group-specific health provisions to build up individual health competencies. These include stress management courses, sports courses, and relaxation courses supplemented by counselling and coaching services for not only work- and study-related but also personal problems. Health-promoting elements are integrated into human resource programmes such as those for management right from the start at the planning stage. During the last five years, particular emphasis has been placed on the topic of ‘psychosocial stress and resources’.

Kristin Unnold, Head of Health Management at Bielefeld University, says: ‘Looking back, 20 years of corporate health management have improved not only the individual health competencies of staff and students but also the health-promoting potential of the university. We can see this in the way we have been able to improve the quality of management. We have also gained an increase in trust, a reduction of conflicts, and a quicker response to situations when they arise. We have reduced stressful framing conditions and built up resources in working and studying conditions. In addition, we have improved the work–life balance and strengthened a culture of paying attention to health.’

With 21,000 students, Bielefeld University is the largest higher education institute in the region of East Westphalia-Lippe. It was founded in 1969 explicitly as a research institute with a strong focus on top-quality research-oriented teaching. To this day, it has continued to expand on the basis of these two strong foundations.

Further information is available online at:
www.corporate-health-award.de/verleihung/cha-2013.html