All your questions about workability cheques answered

Update: the workability cheque no longer exists. This article describes the scheme as it ran in 2024.

What is the workability cheque? Workability cheques are subsidies from the Flemish government that encourage organizations to invest in workable work. You can use the cheques to make work more workable, or to map out the pain points and tackle them. With these subsidies you can receive up to €9,000 in support.

Why invest in workable work?

Workable work is about being physically and mentally healthy and satisfied at work. You can enjoy your job and still find that it is not always workable. Workable work has 4 basic features: work stress, motivation, learning opportunities and work-life balance. Below you can read what each feature means.

1. Preventing overstrain: work should be structured so that it does not lead to excessive stress and pressure for employees. This means keeping workload under control and creating a balanced work environment.
2. Enjoyment and motivation: work can bring joy and motivation. This means employees carry out tasks that challenge them, interest them and give them satisfaction.
3. Learning opportunities: work should give you chances to stay up to date and keep developing in a fast-changing world of work, or VUCA environment. You can do this by offering and encouraging training, further education and personal growth.
4. Work-life balance: work should also leave enough room for a healthy balance between your professional and private life. This calls for flexible working hours and support for employees to balance their personal and professional commitments.

Workable work matters for the wellbeing and satisfaction of your employees. It also adds to the productivity and success of your organization, because you keep motivated staff and create a positive work environment. With the action plan 'Samen een versnelling hoger voor werkbaar werk' (Shifting up a gear together for workable work), the Flemish government wants to encourage and support organizations to map out workable work and improve working conditions.

What can you buy with your workability cheque?

You can use the workability cheque for:

• Buying a measurement or scan to map out how workable work is.
• Guidance while carrying out a scan or measurement.
• Buying advice, guidance and/or training, with special attention to the psychosocial wellbeing of employees. This includes adjustments to workstations, building skills and tackling policy on mental wellbeing.

Who is eligible?

Sole traders, SMEs and large companies (with at least 1 employee) from the profit and social profit sectors can apply for the cheque. Public organizations are excluded. The cheque can also be used only once. This means you can make at most 1 purchase with your workability cheque, for which you can receive up to 9000 euros in financial support.

How do you apply for the workability cheque?

You can apply for workability cheques online via ESF Vlaanderen. First register your organization, then submit your application. Click here for the guide to applying for your workability cheque, or read more on the Flemish government website.

When?

You can apply for workability cheques until 31 July 2024. For 2024 the Flemish government has set aside a budget of 3 million euros. When at most 500,000 EUR is still available, they will publish an update.

Can you use your workability cheque at BloomUp?

Absolutely! You can buy all our products with the workability cheque. That covers our digital support platform for personal development and wellbeing, online therapy and our wellbeing scans. What does that involve?

With our digital support platform, your employees tackle today's challenges and also discover opportunities for the future. With a range of tracks, skills, podcasts and mindfulness exercises, your team works on mental resilience at its own pace. Our mix of learning styles and optional online guidance by coaches, recognized clinical psychologists or psychotherapists increases the impact, adds depth and delivers better results in the long term.

With a wellbeing scan you objectively map out the wellbeing and workability of your organization, so you can take targeted action. Want to know more? Read our blog about wellbeing scans or visit our website.