Supporting your employees starts with truly understanding their needs. Many organizations struggle with fragmented data, making it hard to see the full picture. But with the right tools, you can create a workplace where people thrive, stay motivated, and grow. In this blog, we’ll show how holistic data solutions help you care for your employees while strengthening your organization. Let’s explore how to make "happy professionals" a reality!

You can only provide what people truly need when you have a clear picture of their situation. This is, in a nutshell, the core issue with many current employer efforts aimed at improving performance and preventing absenteeism, turnover, and employee disengagement. It’s time for data solutions that deliver sharper insights into Employee Sustainability & Wellbeing (ESW). The goal of any ICT system should ultimately be to enhance the quality of human interaction.

Promoting high performance and minimizing sick leave, turnover, and employee disengagement has always been crucial. However, in today’s global economy and tight labor market, this focus can make or break organizations. Future-ready organizations continually seek to cultivate "happy professionals"—proud, ambitious employees who derive satisfaction from their work, remain employable, and keep developing. Unfortunately, fragmented data systems often fail to provide a complete picture of what employees and teams truly need. As a result, the "happy professional" too often disappears from view.

Innovation is essential

It’s no surprise that many employers are struggling with ESW-related challenges. For companies willing to innovate how they use employee data, significant opportunities exist. Recognizing the demands of today’s economy and tomorrow’s workforce is essential. Holistic data solutions that prioritize the "happy professional" are long overdue. Organizations that want to future-proof their operations cannot settle for fragmented ESW insights. Developing better solutions isn’t just about helping employees—it’s about benefiting the entire organization.

The era of empathic software

Over the past few years, we’ve worked extensively with clients to identify their ESW needs and pain points. This research led to the creation of an innovative digital platform that provides employers, managers, HR professionals, and health service providers with a comprehensive view of employee and organizational well-being. The platform doesn’t just offer insights but also delivers practical suggestions to help users respond effectively and compassionately to any workplace scenario. We call this empathic software, as it aims to enhance human interaction through technology.

Tailored solutions for every stakeholder

The platform includes multiple digital dashboards, each tailored to a specific stakeholder responsible for ensuring employees remain "happy professionals."

• Managers: Dashboards help managers understand an employee’s situation and respond effectively.
• HR professionals, coaches, and case managers: These dashboards provide insights into ESW challenges at both the individual and organizational levels.
• Health service providers: With access to medical data (where permitted), they gain the most comprehensive view, supporting prevention and reintegration efforts.

Only a holistic approach will succeed

Although each dashboard is tailored to its specific user, they all share a key feature: they integrate data from five HR domains—prevention, vitality, sick leave, job fit and engagement. By connecting this data, the platform creates a unique, comprehensive picture of how employees and teams are doing and what they need. A holistic approach like this is the only way to successfully manage ESW.

Actionable insights are key

The dashboards don’t just provide insights but also actionable recommendations. For example, managers often juggle numerous responsibilities and making the right ESW decisions may require knowledge beyond their expertise. The platform offers practical, well-explained suggestions for next steps, eliminating the need for time-consuming research. Users can make informed decisions confidently, ensuring employees receive the attention they deserve.

Technology that helps people and organizations thrive

The system also ensures that all actions are timely and impactful, benefiting both employees and organizations. Ultimately, it’s people who determine an organization’s success. When employees receive the care and attention they need, both they and the organization thrive.

About ESW, happy professionals, and ESW software

Employee Sustainability & Wellbeing (ESW) management refers to employer efforts to enhance performance and sustainable employability while preventing absenteeism, turnover, and disengagement.

The importance of ESW management has grown rapidly in recent years due to globalization and a tight labor market. These factors make it essential to keep employees fit, skilled, motivated, and in the right roles. Focusing on ESW also helps organizations remain attractive to top talent.

A central concept in ESW management is the "happy professional"—a proud, ambitious employee who finds fulfillment in their work, remains employable, and continuously develops. Increasingly, employers recognize that having "happy professionals" is a prerequisite for organizational success and resilience.

Diederik Benders, Roel van der Sanden and Evita Wissink
Board of directors, ESW Software Specialist, Otherside at Work