WHP 3-Pillar Model

What are the 3 pillars of the WHP model?

Note: based on German law. WHP rests on three pillars: occupational safety and health protection (mandatory), workplace reintegration management/BEM (mandatory), and workplace health promotion (voluntary). Without the mandatory pillars, the whole WHP structure is legally unstable — no matter how much health promotion is done.

The 3 pillars at a glance

Pillar	Status	Legal Basis	Core Obligation
1. Occupational Safety & Health Protection	Mandatory	ArbSchG, ASiG (German Occupational Safety Act, Safety Specialists Act)	Risk assessment, safety briefings
2. Workplace Reintegration Management	Mandatory	SGB IX § 167 (German Social Code)	BEM offer required after more than six weeks of incapacity to work within one year
3. Workplace Health Promotion	Voluntary	§ 20b SGB V (statutory mandate of the health insurers, no entitlement for the company)	none — but eligible for funding (no entitlement)

How do the roof and pillars of WHP fit together?

WHP can be pictured as a house: the roof is management itself — steering, goal-setting, evaluating results. The three pillars carry that roof. If either of the two mandatory pillars is missing, the house is unstable, no matter how much is invested in the voluntary third pillar.

Which obligations do pillars 1 and 2 involve?

Occupational safety and health protection covers the risk assessment (physical and psychological, under German ArbSchG § 5), safety briefings, and their documentation — mandatory from the very first employee. Workplace reintegration management (BEM) kicks in as soon as an employee has been unable to work for more than six weeks within one year, continuously or repeatedly (German SGB IX § 167): the employer must offer a BEM conversation — participation is voluntary for the employee, but the offer is not optional for the employer.

Is workplace health promotion mandatory?

Workplace health promotion is voluntary — but it covers the measures most commonly equated with WHP in public perception: exercise programs, nutrition counseling, stress prevention. Under German SGB V § 20b, statutory health insurers have the task of supporting workplace health promotion — they fund projects, such as a single measure, a health day, or an annual budget, with no entitlement for the company and no fixed amount per head. This pillar mainly drives employee satisfaction and employer branding, not legal compliance.

Key takeaways

3 pillars (per German law: ArbSchG, SGB IX, SGB V): occupational safety (mandatory), BEM (mandatory), health promotion (voluntary).
Without the mandatory pillars, WHP is legally unstable, no matter how much health promotion is done.
BEM applies after more than six weeks of incapacity to work within one year, continuously or repeatedly (SGB IX § 167).
Statutory health insurers can fund health promotion as a project under SGB V § 20b — no entitlement, no amount per head.

Frequently asked questions

Is it enough to cover only the two mandatory pillars?+

Legally, yes — occupational safety and BEM satisfy the statutory minimum requirements. But for employee retention, reducing sick leave, and employer attractiveness, the voluntary third pillar (health promotion) is a worthwhile addition.

In what order should we build out the pillars?+

The mandatory pillars belong in from the start (risk assessment, BEM process) — otherwise you risk fines and liability exposure. In parallel, it pays to build up the health-promotion pillar: legally voluntary, but economically the lever against sick days. Many companies even start with health promotion because that is where they see results fastest.

Which pillar does a health day count toward?+

The third pillar, workplace health promotion — unless it explicitly implements measures identified in the risk assessment, in which case it counts toward pillar 1.

Map all three pillars in one place

EasyWHP combines risk assessment, the BEM process, and health promotion in a single system.

Try EasyWHP for free

Sources

Last updated: 2026-07-06. Not legal or tax advice — have your specific case reviewed by a professional.

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