It’s still just an anecdote, but this true story reflects well the change that has occurred, with varying degrees of intensity, in many organizations. What made the top leaders of those and other companies change their minds?: The pandemic. Covid-19 has brought with it a significant increase in psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety, but it has also helped make these issues visible, and companies and other organizations realize that they must focus on emotional well-being. And assume a Before and after in Mental health care.
“Mental health care and psychosocial risks have become more normalized It has gone from being a trend to a necessity in companies“Although there is still a long way to go for preventive measures to reach more companies and public administrations,” says Anabel Fernandez, CEO of Affor Health, a consulting company specializing in psychosocial prevention management.
He adds: “It is essential for companies to understand that people are their most valuable value and work to enhance their mental health and well-being at both professional and personal levels to improve their quality of life.”
According to data recently provided by Opportunity, a non-profit association that fights stigma and discrimination against people with this type of disorder, four out of ten workers realize that their work Current mental health status is fair or poorOf these, nearly 70% say work is one of the causes of their condition.
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Preventing and caring for mental health in the workplace doesn’t just affect employees. Companies also get Clear advantage. According to the International Labor Organization, 12 billion working days are lost annually worldwide due to depression and anxiety. The global economic bill is about a trillion dollars.
the Global Health Organization The World Health Organization points out that for every dollar spent on treating disorders such as depression, there is a return $4 to improve health and productivity. Paying attention to the physical and emotional health of employees increases their motivation and performance. Reduces absenteeism It improves the work environment and helps retain and attract talent, according to experts.
Break the stigma barrier
a report Operamentconducted in Catalan companies and entities, provides other relevant data: 60% of employees who experienced a mental problem He did not stop going to the office And 90% did not feel able to talk about it openly in the company. According to this association, the numbers reveal that mental health is still a taboo topic in the work environment. Fear of being discriminated against, having their careers stalled, or fear of shame prevents employees from coming forward and admitting that they are experiencing emotional difficulties.
“If you allocate resources or create many measures or protocols, but people are afraid to use them, it will be of no use. They tell us in the company: ‘We have hired a psychologist, resources, etc., and no one uses them.’” And when we ask workers What they need, they tell us exactly what they don’t use later because what’s in the middle is stigma and taboo,” explains Carlos Alcoba, Head of Mental Health and Workplace Stigma at Operament.
Breaking down stigma is the first key, and the first step, in mental health policies in the workplace, according to this expert. “Cultural change is necessary and must happen from the top down in organizations because leaders have a key role here, and through concrete actions Generating a new culture: Measures that enable managers to detect when someone is having difficulty and help them; To have an open conversation with the team about mental health without bias, or to manage leave or return…that is, we will provide team leaders with all possible tools so that this silence is broken and employees ultimately realize: “This is a safe space,” says Alcoba.
From Affor Health, Annabelle Fernandez advocates the need to pay attention to the structure of the organization Promote healthy leadership and provide tools Which helps to manage stress in work teams: “Through the individual competencies programme, for example, performance skills can be assessed and a comprehensive leadership style can be developed through support in the manager’s emotional management, which is key to leading teams effectively and in a healthy way,” he comments.
Other preventive measures that companies can implement to take care of the mental and psychosocial health of their employees, according to experts, are the following:
- Psychosocial impact assessment. For Fernandez, of Affor Health, this is the first step: “It is advisable to first analyze the situation of the impact on the psychological health of workers to adopt measures that suit the potential psychosocial risks of the organization and that help protect their careers.” health.”
- Psychological help For employees. Make psychological support available to you online, by phone, or in person. Fernandez also suggests other digital resources for psychoeducation and emotional management, e.g WebinarsWorkshops, videos, etc. and specific assistance programs for employees.
- Internal Mental Health Ambassadors. “They are employees who have had some mental health issues and have become internal references in companies. It is easier to talk to a colleague than to HR. This is practiced in the Anglo-Saxon world and we highly recommend it,” says Alcoba, of Obertement.
- Measures to promote reconciliation between family and work. Work-life balance is essential to taking care of workers’ emotional well-being, and initiatives such as implementing flexible working models or digital disconnection measures always help. At Affor Health they propose to achieve the participation of the various departments of the company in the negotiation of those measures that affect the compromise and promotion of a better working environment, with spaces for consultation where proposals and suggestions for improvement can be collected, among other measures.
The commitment of larger companies to the mental wellbeing of workers has been reaffirmed by implementing initiatives such as The basicsthe first corporate alliance Aimed at promoting initiatives that impact the improvement of the health and mental well-being of employees.
This group, formed by the companies AstraZeneca, Banco Santander in Spain, HP, Indra or the Municipal Transport Company in Madrid, has become official with the signing of an agreement and the idea of acting as a reference for other companies to have maximum impact in society.
