Visualizing BGM Maturity: The Radar Chart as a Steering Tool

What BGM maturity measures — and why it matters

The GKV Prevention Guideline (2023) describes workplace health promotion not as a single measure, but as a management task: needs analysis, planning, implementation, evaluation — a cycle that must be steered systematically. This is exactly where BGM maturity comes in: it doesn't assess which fruit baskets or yoga classes exist, but how well your workplace health management functions as a steering system.

Maturity answers three questions: What do we already have? What's still missing? And where should we invest next? Without such a stocktaking, BGM budgets are often deployed reactively — based on mood or the last quarterly absence report. A structured maturity analysis makes priorities objective and creates a basis for discussion that goes beyond personal impressions.

How the radar chart makes 10 focus areas visible

A radar chart (also called a spider or web chart) is particularly well-suited to maturity analyses because it shows multiple dimensions simultaneously and makes gaps visible at a glance. For a complete BGM program, 10 focus areas are typically assessed:

**Movement** — Are there movement offerings, stair-use campaigns, active breaks? **Nutrition** — Cafeteria, snack offerings, nutrition counseling? **Stress & resilience** — Psychological risk assessment, mindfulness offerings, manager awareness training? **Addiction prevention** — Works agreement, counseling offerings, clear points of contact? **Ergonomics** — Workplace walkthroughs, height-adjustable desks, screen work protection? **Leadership & health** — Are managers trained? Is there a health-promoting leadership culture? **Corporate culture** — Are health topics actively communicated? Are there role models from management? **Prevention & early intervention** — Occupational health services, vaccination offerings, return-to-work conversations? **Governance & steering** — BGM coordinators, steering committee, budget, reporting? **Modern work** — Remote health, hybrid offerings, digital tools?

Each focus area is rated on a scale of 1 to 5. The first round typically takes 20–30 minutes if you discuss the questions as a team rather than answering them alone. The resulting chart immediately shows where you're strongly positioned and where real gaps exist.

Using maturity for leadership communication

A completed radar chart isn't an end in itself — it's a communication tool. Especially with leadership, it enables an objective conversation: instead of saying "we need more budget for health," you show: "In five of ten areas we're below level 3 — here are the three with the biggest leverage."

The tool becomes especially effective in year-over-year comparison. If you do an assessment in December 2025 and repeat it in December 2026, leadership sees concretely what has changed. Progress becomes visible — even when absence figures don't show a clear improvement in the short term due to fluctuation.

Recommendation: present the radar chart once a year as part of a BGM steering session. Invite not only the BGM team but also HR leadership and ideally a representative from executive management. Three guiding questions for this session: What has improved since last year? Which focus area holds the biggest untapped leverage? Which area do we prioritize for the next planning period?