Companies ready to move their focus onto employee wellbeing

In a short space of time, companies audited what was needed. Now it is expected 60% of workers will continue to work from home for the time being.

Cognate Health's new CEO, Paula Cogan; with company founder, John Gallagher; new non-executive director, Professor Mary Horgan; and newly appointed chairperson, Noel Creedon.

Managers and staff across a range of Irish companies have been very efficient in developing new Covid-conscious work strategies, says Paula Cogan, the newly appointed CEO of occupational health provider Cognate Health.

“Most employers had to very quickly move the majority of their teams to remote working, in many cases providing their staff with the technology, wifi, chairs and desks to work safely from home,” says Paula Cogan, who was previously the global head of sales at hotel group Doyle Collection and who is also the current president of Cork Chamber.

“In a very short space of time, lots of companies did audits to look at what was needed. Now it is expected that around 60% of workers will continue to work from home for the time being.”

 When future lockdowns occur, the Government guidelines will offer steps to follow, but the detail will have to be managed in each workplace and social context.

Increasingly, employers will seek to promote the health and wellbeing of their staff, both as a compassionate response and in a bid to protect arguably their single most important asset. People have lost a lot of positives in evacuating their workplaces.

“Emotional wellbeing will become more and more important to people,” says Paula. “Doing ten or 15 conference calls is having an effect. Previously, you'd nip across to talk to someone at work. Many people used to do 10,000 steps a day at work. Now they're doing far less.

“A lot of employers are telling people to make sure they stay active, break from work to go for a walk. Employers are telling their managers to make sure that their teams are staying well.”

 Cognate Health is working with companies to sharpen their focus on people's wellbeing in this changing work environment. The company was founded by Professor John Gallagher, who has been working in occupational health since 1992.

Prof Gallagher's occupational health physicians (OHPs) have been collaborating with clients nationwide in the design and management of their occupational health for over 20 years.   Cognate Health's consultants are registered specialists in occupational health and are fellows and members of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Not surprisingly, demand for Cognate's services is growing.

Paula Cogan's new arrival follows that of Cognate's newly appointed chairperson Noel Creedon, the former CEO of iNua Hospitality. Prof Mary Horgan, the renowned expert in infectious disease, has been appointed as a non-executive director, with founder of Cognate Health.

Prof Gallagher is taking on a new role as the company’s chief medical officer. The appointments of Paula Cogan and Noel Creedon point to a significant shift for Cognate, adding a range of strategic skills to the company's existing occuational health expertise. Both bring senior experience in hospitality.

“The hotels were ahead of the posse in terms of their staff coming back into the work context,” says Paula. “Hotels were one of the first sectors to ensure that all the criteria were being met so that people could come back and enjoy the hospitality experience.

“People said the measures taken helped them feel safe. They were able to relax, have a coffee and enjoy a bit of normality when they really needed it.

“As the country moves into the next phase in the pandemic, each step forward will have to be carefully managed for people to feel safe. The reopening of schools represents a big milestone.” 

Rebooting social activity safely will involve strategic rethinking. Paula Cogan cites the GAA as an example of a community organisation playing an important role in acting to stop the spread of Covid-19, while also re-engaging in social activities.

The strategic plan developed at senior level in the GAA was communicated through the ranks and then delivered at community level. At each step, every precaution is being taken to minimise the spread of Covid-19.

“The GAA has taken steps at the top level and they've made sure that their message goes all the way down through the club and county network. Like the GAA, every employer's message must be consistent and must be supported by all employees in their day-to-day work,” says Paula.

“Mary Horgan has worked with the GAA, putting in protocols and supporting local clubs in developing the structures that have allowed them to plan their return to playing again.” 

Professor Horgan is the president of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, and consultant physician in infectious diseases and internal Medicine at Cork University Hospital. She is also the chair of the Health Research Board’s national research ethics committee for COVID-19-related research.

Cognate has also recently appointed its chief financial officer, Jim O’Shaughnessy, to the board of directors. Mr O’Shaughnessy previously worked for the Bon Secours Health System for over 22 years. Michael Philpott is joining Cognate Health as operations manager, having previously held senior management roles in CareChoice and Ditchley Nursing Home Group.

Cognate's chairperson, Noel Creedon, said: “ Professor John Gallagher has built his occupational health practice since 1992, seeing significant growth over this period. In the unprecedented times we are in, there is an increasing and urgent demand for occupational health, with companies placing huge importance on employee wellness. To run in tandem with the occupational health expertise already existing in the business, John and I wanted to invest in a team of leaders in their respective fields to move Cognate Health forward.

“Paula Cogan as CEO will work closely with me on the strategic management of the business. This approach will allow Mary and John to focus on the best possible occupational health services to offer clients, particularly addressing and solving issues faced by companies in the environment we are now in.” 

 Paula Cogan added: “Cognate Health is an outstanding company, unrivalled in its approach to occupational health. The Board is incredibly strong, with over 100 years’ experience between Professor Gallagher, Noel Creedon, Professor Horgan, Jim O’Shaughnessy and myself.

“This latest investment is focused on the development and execution of a future and dynamic vision for Cognate Health, building on an already strong reputation and expertise.”