Corporate Culture and Employees

Promoting Health and Safety

Vonovia uses its professional health and safety management policy to minimize potential hazards and promote a healthy working atmosphere in order to effectively protect all employees from health risks in the workplace. We also focus on the well-being of our older employees as the shortage of qualified staff means it is becoming more and more important to ensure they remain productive.

We systematically design working processes and structures that are conducive to good health as part of our corporate approach to health management. This includes a broad range of fitness and preventive health care programs.

Risk assessments, regular inspections and training for employees ensure that we have an effective occupational health and safety system across the Group. These measures and role-specific personal protective equipment prevent accidents and contribute to keeping our employees healthy. A range of mandatory and voluntary medical examinations are carried out by company physicians, and many employees get vaccinated against influenza, undergo colorectal cancer screening and receive advice on ergonomics in the workplace.

The coronavirus pandemic was a real challenge for our health management system in 2020 as many of our staff were exposed to additional physical stress. The majority of our company health care services were provided digitally and focused on encouraging employees to look after their own health. They included opportunities for exercise like partnerships with gyms, information about stress, relaxation and mindfulness, managing the psychological challenges of working at home, information about mobile working, and a special webinar about caring for children during the coronavirus pandemic. Information was provided on how best to set up a workspace at home and a flu vaccine was made available free of charge. We build on the responsibility of our employees for their own health and provide them with information about what they should do, such as using disinfectant and wearing a face mask. Infection levels have remained low in our workforce, due mainly to the availability of protective masks and disinfectant on all of our premises, regulated access to buildings and workspaces, the appeal by the Management Board to use the contact tracing app, and the discipline, responsibility and flexibility shown by all our colleagues.

Other projects included expanding our partnerships with sports facilities and setting up an intranet site with information about “Sports and Exercise,” “Relaxation and Balance” and “Nutrition” – especially in relation to working from home. All employees were eligible for a psychosocial consultation as part of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). We are planning to introduce a cycle leasing program in Germany in 2021.