On the road to success with healthy employees

Yesterday, on February 29, 2024, Salzburg Airport was once again awarded the seal of approval for workplace health promotion. In a ceremony at the ORF Regional Studio in Salzburg, KommR Matthias Krenn (ÖGK Chairman), KommR Dr. Wolfgang Reiger (Chairman of the ÖGK Regional Committee in Salzburg) and Mag. Dr. Klaus Ropin (Head of the Fonds Gesundes Österreich (FGÖ)) presented the award to the representatives of Salzburg Airport, authorized signatory Dr. Verena Mitgutsch, team leader People & Culture, Daniela Haslauer, M.Sc. and People & Culture employee, Magdalena Költringer.

The seal of approval is only awarded to companies that have set themselves the goal of preventing ailment in the workplace, improving the well-being of their employees and maintaining their health in the long term. The criteria of the European Network BGF must be implemented. “Yesterday, Salzburg Airport was once again awarded the BGF seal of approval as part of the BGF event at the ORF regional studio in Salzburg. We try to ensure a healthy workplace for all colleagues with many different measures and offer opportunities to stay fit at work. A good understanding of health is an inseparable part of a healthy company, the people who work at the airport are the focus of our responsibility as managers, work must not make people sick,” says Managing Director Bettina Ganghofer, delighted with the renewed award.

Salzburg Airport has been implementing its health policy for years in many projects and measures that not only change the company structure, but also motivate employees to take responsibility for their own health. In order to identify any need for action, employee surveys on satisfaction and fitness for work are conducted on an ongoing basis. The Health Committee, which meets twice a year, discusses open issues and gives the go-ahead for new projects. This committee ensures that employees from various areas of the airport group can play an active role in improving the general conditions in the workplace. It is not only the corporate culture and management behavior that are important here, the topic of transition management into retirement, shift planning, occupational safety and many other points are discussed here and improvements are incorporated. Active measures include help with quitting smoking, fresh fruit baskets in work areas, height-adjustable desks, the annual airport run and subsidies for computer glasses.

Colleagues from the company fire department have their own fitness room where they can exercise regularly. In addition, all employees are regularly informed about presentations on health topics, which can be attended free of charge. A great addition is the free offer for all employees from Mavie, an organization that helps people maintain their mental and physical health in all life situations. “It is extremely important for the employees of our airport that many measures are taken in the area of prevention and disease prevention to maintain well-being in the workplace. At the end of the day, both our colleagues and the airport itself benefit from these preventative measures, because people who are fit and healthy stay in the workplace for longer,” says Works Council Chairman Norbert Gruber. 
Every system also needs a “caretaker”, as they say, someone who maintains projects and initiatives so that sufficient offers can be established for the employees. At Salzburg Airport, this is the team leader of People & Culture, Daniela Haslauer. Every day, she is committed to helping her colleagues at the airport to ensure that both “arriving” at work at the airport is a success and that getting older at work is healthy and fit.


Group picture:
Names from left to right:
KommR Dr. Wolfgang Reiger (Chairman of the ÖGK Regioal Committee in Salzburg)
Magdalena Költringer, M.A. (Salzburg Airport)
Daniela Haslauer, M.Sc. (Salzburg Airport)
Dr. Verena Mitgutsch (Salzburg Airport)
Mag. Dr. Klaus Ropin (Head of the Fonds Gesundes Österreich (FGÖ))
KommR Matthias Krenn (ÖGK Chairman)