At Paytrail, Work Ability Is Built to Meet Job Demands

People have always been Paytrail’s greatest strength, and one value has been at the heart of the company from the very beginning: putting people at the center of everything.

“A company cannot succeed without the people who make that success possible,” says Nina Laurila, HR Director at Paytrail.

When Paytrail grew through acquisitions a few years ago and a new strategy was developed, they wanted to further reinforce this principle. At the same time, work ability management needed to be strengthened – not as a separate HR initiative, but as part of the company’s sustainability strategy and culture.

Wellbeing as Part of the Strategy

At Paytrail, wellbeing is about more than benefits or occasional campaigns. It is integrated into everyday practices, shared moments to pause, and continuous learning. In this article, we explore the key factors behind Paytrail’s approach to work ability management and how the company supports work ability in practice – with the support of LeWell coaches and by utilizing Firstbeat data.

“We wanted to move away from seeing wellbeing as a bonus provided by the employer – towards shared responsibility and greater awareness. When people are doing well, the business does well too,” Laurila says.

Collaboration with LeWell coaches has been an important part of this journey for almost ten years. LeWell coaches help employees find individual ways to improve their energy and performance, with an approachable, everyday approach. The collaboration covers the entire network, including Firstbeat and occupational health services.

“From the very beginning, Paytrail made it clear that people are seen as an asset, not a cost. The company also feels comfortable engaging with outside experts, talking partly  about performance and partly about functional capacity,” says Kaisa Wallinheimo, Development Director at LeWell.

Better Energy Through Data-Driven Insights and Coaching

Paytrail supports employee wellbeing by combining a people-centered coaching approach with reliable data. Firstbeat Life helps employees monitor stress, recovery, and workload in everyday life – and understand how small changes can have a significant impact.

Every month, LeWell hosts wellbeing sessions for Paytrail – approachable opportunities to pause and talk about how things are going. Firstbeat is part of these sessions: employees share their observations from their measurement data and the changes they have made. Based on these insights, the coach follows their progress and helps them move forward.

“During the wellbeing sessions, we talk about our lives and work ability. We also reflect on our physical fitness and where we are at the moment. It affects recovery from work and shows up in many ways. When people make small changes and improve their fitness level even a little, it supports their ability to recover and gives them more energy to do the things they want to do. Step by step, we can create a positive cycle. When we talk about work ability, we are really building a more energized workforce,” Wallinheimo explains.

Firstbeat has been offered to all employees at the company. Participation in the sessions is voluntary, but interest has been high. Long-term communication and open discussions have created an environment where wellbeing can be talked about naturally, even when people are struggling to cope.

“Firstbeat data is a journey of discovery into yourself. When you see the results in black and white, you start trusting your observations in a completely different way. Sometimes the data also surprises you – and even a small change can turn things around. People also have the opportunity to test and explore different things with Firstbeat; even something as simple as having a glass of red wine before bed, to see whether it was actually a good idea,” says Laurila.

Building Work Ability to Meet Job Demands

In demanding knowledge work, it is easy to get absorbed in work and forget to take breaks. With support from LeWell, Paytrail has approached this challenge with principles familiar from elite sports: you cannot operate at full speed all the time. Instead, the goal is to find a sustainable pace; identify periods of heavier demands, and support people when they need it most.

“We have offered wellness lectures and even recovery challenges to support employees during demanding periods. At times, we have also offered financial incentives for taking breaks. The fact that wellbeing is genuinely part of our strategy and openly discussed makes it clear to everyone that they work for a company that believes business goals can be achieved by taking care of its people – also as individuals,” says Nina Laurila.

“We consider what a demanding period requires in terms of recovery and make sure individual work ability meets the demands of the job. This is a perspective inspired by the analytical approach used in elite sports, and it’s something we are strongly supporting,” Wallinheimo continues.

“Building work ability is not just about work. At the same time, we are building fitness for our free time and for life as a whole. We help people find a balance between work and free time, so they still have energy left after the working day. It is not sustainable if all your free time is spent recovering from work. It is important to take care of each individual employee. That is what caring and sustainable work is about – and it is what matters today,” Wallinheimo adds.

Leadership Leads by Example

At Paytrail, wellbeing is genuinely a shared effort. Leaders have actively participated in both measurements and coaching. Leading by example makes a difference: when the CEO and leadership team are taking part, it lowers the threshold for others to get involved.

“It is essential that we do not simply stand on the sidelines saying, ‘Do as we say.’ The leadership team also needs to be committed to managing their own wellbeing and, for example, the length of their working days,” Laurila says.

Work ability is part of everyday life and conversations at the company. The results are also utilized at organizational level. Paytrail’s leadership and coaches can see which areas deserve attention: when to focus on recovery, when to strengthen a sense of community, or when to improve the structure of the working day. The company also takes time each quarter to review the situation and consider whether the right actions have been taken.

The Results Are Visible

The impact of Paytrail’s work ability management is clear. Revenue and profit per employee have increased, and the company has reached the lowest (best) level of the Finnish employee pension contribution categories (TyEL). Sick leave rates have also remained low.

Above all, the results can be seen in people’s everyday lives – in their energy, team spirit, and recovery.

“Work ability management is part of who we are. Caring for our employees is not only the right thing to do – it is also a smart strategic choice. This is not an individual performance program; it is a journey we take together. And when enough people get involved, it creates a critical mass that carries the whole community,” Laurila concludes.