Effectiveness of our occupational health and safety measures
In line with the PDCA cycle (plan, do, check, act), we systematically investigate and measure the effectiveness of our measures. We endeavor to continuously develop our management system. To this end, we regularly investigate how occupational health and safety are integrated in management and leadership activities and derive improvement strategies as needed. This includes reviewing the results of our employee survey, evaluating stress prevention measures under collective agreements, competitor analyses, and other indicators. We analyze this information on an ongoing basis and use it to develop suitable measures to promote the health and well-being of our employees. In addition, all employees can actively help shape our measures for occupational health and safety, in line with the requirements of ISO 45001.
Different indicators reflect the effectiveness of our corporate health management activities:
At Deutsche Telekom in Germany, the health rate for 2022 (including long-term illnesses) was 93.8 percent (prior year: 95.3 percent). Excluding long-term illnesses, the health rate in 2022 stood at 95.2 percent (prior year: 95.3 percent). The worsening of the figure in 2022 is presumably a result of the gradual return to normality as pandemic protection and hygiene measures came to an end. The health rate is reported to the Board of Management at the end of each quarter.
The total number of work-related accidents increased in the reporting year in comparison with the previous year. The accident rate in Germany for 2022 was 5.5 accidents (resulting in over three days of absence) per thousand employees (prior year: 4.2). This figure includes occupational accidents associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Without these COVID-19 cases, the accident rate in Germany was 4.4.
The Group-wide health index – which was last measured as part of the 2021 employee survey in almost all countries with Telekom employees – stood at 69 (on a scale from 0 to 100). This represents a slight increase of four points with respect to the previous survey in 2019. Preparations for determining the next health index will take place in 2023.
Measures during the COVID-19 pandemic At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we provided the opportunity to work from home, whenever possible, to protect our employees. Together with the Bonn Hygiene Institute, we also developed a comprehensive hygiene concept. It enabled employees to return to their offices – when the numbers of infections so permitted. Our Chief Human Resources Officer Birgit Bohle regularly informed employees about our extensive safety measures. To maintain vaccination protection against Covid-19, employees in Germany were offered booster vaccinations (a third vaccination dose) at the turn of the year 2021/2022. In this context, 4 908 vaccination doses were given in the first quarter of the reporting year. The vaccination program has been discontinued in the interim. Although we do not offer coronavirus vaccinations presently, we monitor and assess the situation continually, which means a needs-based resumption of the vaccination program is possible anytime, at short notice.
Also, the company once again held its annual flu-vaccination campaign in fall 2022. We completed our flu-vaccination campaign for the turn of the year 2021/2022 in the first quarter of the reporting year, with 9,593 flu shots. Between October and December 2022, 7 140 of our employees in Germany had received their flu shots as part of the campaign.
The My Health Journey health program In the reporting year, we continued our “My Health Journey” company health program for emotional and mental fortitude, which is available to all employees in Germany. In addition to workshop series on mental resilience, mindfulness, and self-care in the digital environment – with tips and exercises for shaping everyday virtual life – it also offers scientifically based mindfulness training for executives and managers. Its aims include promoting self-reflection and self-organization. We expanded our existing offers in 2022 with programs from all fields of prevention. In addition to the focus topic “Emotional and mental fortitude,” we now also offer courses on good nutrition, regular exercise, and relaxing sleep. Among other elements, we organize action days such as Sleep Day, Nutrition Day, Mindfulness Day, and Mental Health Day. We have also established a series of open lectures and targeted individual offerings such as sleep or nutrition consultation.
Awards in the occupational health and safety area We once again won multiple awards for our occupational health management in the reporting year. T-Systems in Germany, for example, won a BBGM Best Practice Award from the Federal Association of Occupational Health Management for its #ausruhezeichen sleep campaign. Among our national companies, the OTE Group won several awards for its “health and safety” initiatives.
In line with the PDCA cycle (plan, do, check, act), we systematically investigate and measure the effectiveness of our measures. We endeavor to continuously develop our management system. To this end, we regularly investigate how occupational health and safety are integrated in management and leadership activities and derive improvement strategies as needed. This includes reviewing the results of our employee survey, evaluating stress prevention measures under collective agreements, competitor analyses, and other indicators. We analyze this information on an ongoing basis and use it to develop suitable measures to promote the health and well-being of our employees. In addition, all employees can actively help shape our measures for occupational health and safety, in line with the requirements of ISO 45001.
Different indicators reflect the effectiveness of our corporate health management activities:
Measures during the COVID-19 pandemic
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we provided the opportunity to work from home, whenever possible, to protect our employees. Together with the Bonn Hygiene Institute, we also developed a comprehensive hygiene concept. It enabled employees to return to their offices – when the numbers of infections so permitted. Our Chief Human Resources Officer Birgit Bohle regularly informed employees about our extensive safety measures. To maintain vaccination protection against Covid-19, employees in Germany were offered booster vaccinations (a third vaccination dose) at the turn of the year 2021/2022. In this context, 4 908 vaccination doses were given in the first quarter of the reporting year. The vaccination program has been discontinued in the interim. Although we do not offer coronavirus vaccinations presently, we monitor and assess the situation continually, which means a needs-based resumption of the vaccination program is possible anytime, at short notice.
Also, the company once again held its annual flu-vaccination campaign in fall 2022. We completed our flu-vaccination campaign for the turn of the year 2021/2022 in the first quarter of the reporting year, with 9,593 flu shots. Between October and December 2022, 7 140 of our employees in Germany had received their flu shots as part of the campaign.
The My Health Journey health program
In the reporting year, we continued our “My Health Journey” company health program for emotional and mental fortitude, which is available to all employees in Germany. In addition to workshop series on mental resilience, mindfulness, and self-care in the digital environment – with tips and exercises for shaping everyday virtual life – it also offers scientifically based mindfulness training for executives and managers. Its aims include promoting self-reflection and self-organization. We expanded our existing offers in 2022 with programs from all fields of prevention. In addition to the focus topic “Emotional and mental fortitude,” we now also offer courses on good nutrition, regular exercise, and relaxing sleep. Among other elements, we organize action days such as Sleep Day, Nutrition Day, Mindfulness Day, and Mental Health Day. We have also established a series of open lectures and targeted individual offerings such as sleep or nutrition consultation.
Awards in the occupational health and safety area
Reporting against standardsWe once again won multiple awards for our occupational health management in the reporting year. T-Systems in Germany, for example, won a BBGM Best Practice Award from the Federal Association of Occupational Health Management for its #ausruhezeichen sleep campaign. Among our national companies, the OTE Group won several awards for its “health and safety” initiatives.
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)