The 30 years of occupational medicine in Luxembourg

This 2025 World Day for Safety and Health at Work is particularly significant for the ASTF and occupational medicine in Luxembourg. Since 1995, we have been working to preserve the health and safety of professionals in this sector. This moment offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the significant developments in occupational health in the tertiary and financial sectors, to consider the contemporary challenges faced by employers and employees. While progress has been made, vigilance remains essential, as the challenges persist, and occupational risks continue to evolve and threaten employees. In this context, prevention remains an absolute priority.

The Challenges of Occupational Health

Employees in the financial sector face multiple challenges in terms of occupational health that require special attention. Firstly, psychosocial risks and stress persist, generating considerable pressure and sometimes leading to burnout among employees. In parallel, adapting to technological advancements and new work modes imposes a constant requirement for learning and flexibility, thereby increasing the cognitive load on collaborators. Furthermore, teleworking introduces additional risk factors, including social isolation. Maintaining a balance between professional and private life becomes increasingly complex in a context of hyperconnectivity, limiting the possibility of disconnection and negatively impacting overall well-being.
On the physical aspect, musculoskeletal disorders and chronic pain, often linked to prolonged postures or repetitive movements, continue to represent major health risks for employees. Finally, the prevalence of addictive behaviors - whether it is alcohol, cigarettes, drug use, increased screen time, or poor eating habits - contributes to deteriorating health.
Together, these challenges highlight the importance of adapted prevention measures and regular monitoring by occupational medicine to sustainably improve the quality of life within the tertiary and financial sectors.

Methods of Risk Prevention

The ASTF offers its member companies training and development programs to help their managers and employees manage stress, pressure, and develop cross-functional skills such as resilience, which will improve their well-being at work.

Improving workstations ergonomics, equipment, and tools helps reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Adapting equipment is a means of combating physical pain related to sitting and repetitive gestures. We also target postural strengthening to prevent chronic pain and recommend a combination of muscle strengthening and regular stretching to maintain both tone and flexibility.

Giving Meaning to Work

It is crucial to give meaning to work to improve employee satisfaction. Companies must strive to create an environment where each employee understands the importance of their role and feels valued, as each employee contributes through their individual work to the achievement of the company’s objectives.

Developing Optimism

Creating an optimistic work environment and encouraging employees to adopt positive thoughts contributes to improving their mental health and well-being at work. Encouraging a culture where mistakes are seen as opportunities for learning rather than failures can help reduce stress and promote a positive attitude.

The initiatives

Occupational medicine plays a pivotal role in :

• Monitoring the physical health of employees.
• Helping to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), joint diseases, and eye disorders related to screen work.
• Informing employees and training their managers.
• Collaborating with managers to identify signs of burnout.
• Evaluating psychosocial risks (PSR).
• Providing discreet access to occupational psychologists.

Beyond these traditional missions, our training programs aim to act on attitudes and habits in the long term. By integrating these initiatives, companies can improve the health and well-being of their employees, which contributes to their performance.

In conclusion,

In the face of these challenges, periodic examinations remain the best methods for employees to benefit from monitoring and prevention of risks related to their professional activities. These examinations allow, at regular intervals, for the detection of health problems or work-related issues at an early stage and prevent sickness absences by promoting a healthier lifestyle. There are several formulas for periodic examinations, consult this page for more information.

These health assessments also offer the opportunity to address deeper issues such as the meaning given to work and overall satisfaction, which are determining factors for balanced mental health. By integrating comprehensive approaches that consider both physical and psychological aspects, we help employees of member companies to cultivate realistic optimism and develop positive attitudes in the face of professional challenges.

When employees are faced with professional burnout problems, there are solutions ! The ASTF has created « Lighthouse », a program organized around our multidisciplinary team, to address burnout. It’s a comprehensive approach (interviews with doctors, training, workshops, discussion groups, and coaching) to help employees manage stress and regain more serenity.