Prof. Rafał Ohme: "Burnout is a cost, but investing in well-being gives a fivefold return" - the "Moje Zdrowie" program as a new standard of prevention at work
How to take care of employee health and counteract burnout? Health and Wellbeing Forum 2025, organized by Executive Club, was an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences in the field of prevention, well-being and health management in the workplace. Particular attention was paid to the "Moje Zdrowie" program, which is already changing the approach to healthcare in Poland.
During the Health and Wellbeing Forum 2025, experts emphasized that prevention plays a key role in maintaining health. Paweł Żuk , Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Medical and Diagnostic Center , presented the nationwide program "Moje Zdrowie" , which has been available to every citizen over 20 years of age since May. This is the first such comprehensive and standardized program, the aim of which is not only to detect civilization diseases , but also to promote a healthy lifestyle and support primary healthcare facilities .
As Paweł Żuk emphasized:
The program consolidates all the scattered preventive measures present in the Polish healthcare system in the form of a single, universal health program . Its aim is not only diagnostics, but also education and support for patients in maintaining health before the disease appears.
The implementation of the "My Health" program is based on four standardized steps - from a digital survey , through anthropometric measurements and laboratory tests , to the creation of an Individual Health Plan . Digitalization plays a key role here.
All data will be processed digitally – this allows not only to reduce costs, but also to effectively analyze the needs of society and respond to them systemically – Żuk noted.
In the second part of the Forum, Prof. Rafał Ohme addressed the topic of professional burnout. As research shows, almost half of Poles are at risk of it, and 29% are already eligible for sick leave. What's more, as many as 15% are not aware of the symptoms of burnout.
Prof. Ohme recalled:
Our mental state is driven by global factors – pandemics, wars, climate change, and AI development – that are destabilizing the job market. Stress, uncertainty, and automation are creating pressure that many people are unable to cope with.
One solution is to invest in employee health – not only from an ethical but also an economic point of view. As the Deloitte report cited by Ohme indicates, such an investment can bring a return of up to five times.
In the panel "Health and Wellbeing at Work and in Retirement", participants emphasized that the "Moje Zdrowie" program provides a real chance to cover not only older but also younger employees with preventive care. 350,000 people have already registered for it - including many twenty-year-olds.
"Any money spent on prevention will pay off. This program is also financially attractive for primary health care," noted Paweł Żuk.
However, it is important to reach people who do not usually use tests. Proposals include financial incentives - lower health insurance premiums or vacation subsidies.
The annual physical activity program at Medicover , which Dr. Paweł Żochowski spoke about, has been a success. Among 200 employees with metabolic problems, a significant improvement in health was observed, and sick leave decreased by as much as 32 percent.
Such actions have a direct impact on the finances of companies and the state," added Mariusz Jedynak from ZUS, pointing to the growing number of psychiatric sick leave and disturbing data on the use of antidepressants.
The growing number of retirees working beyond retirement age (already over 850 thousand) is a sign of the times. The “Moje Zdrowie” program is part of this trend, offering tests that detect early symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases.
Seniors do not have to be passive. They just need to be well informed, because trust in the family doctor is high in this group - Żuk noted.
One of the key problems of modern organizations is presenteeism – that is, presence at work despite poor health. The solution may be individual health reports, which show what problems employees struggle with and allow for the implementation of targeted prevention .
Prevention is not only about tests – it is also about exercise, diet and mental well-being," said Dr. Żochowski .
Professor Ohme drew attention to the key role of physical activity in cancer prevention. He reminded us that the immune system does not treat cancer cells as a priority – it first deals with reducing cortisol, the stress hormone.
Cardio is the most effective way to lower cortisol levels. Just 30 seconds of isometric muscle tension burns this hormone and improves immune system function.
Health and Wellbeing Forum 2025 has shown that investing in health and prevention is a necessity, not an add-on. In the face of demographic, economic and health challenges , caring for employee wellbeing is becoming an integral part of responsible leadership. The “Moje Zdrowie” program is one of the important steps towards a better quality of life – both professional and personal.
Source: Executive Club/MH
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