The impact of COVID-19 in the workplace: “Many organisations take mental health to heart”
It’s no secret that COVID-19 leaves its mark on our mental health. Koen Van Hulst, mental health manager at Mensura, explains the impact in the workplace. For example, one in seven employees appears to be unwell. But there is also good news: organisations are significantly tweaking their approach to better support employees.
Organisations are looking for a new balance. Telecommuting, the changing expectations and needs of employers, the greater importance of work-life balance, etc. have caused some upheaval. It is now up to organisations to reinvent themselves, to put the puzzle back together again. Some employees are able to master new ways of working and cooperating easily, but others still experience difficulties.
In terms of requests from employees for a meeting with a psychosocial prevention advisor, we have seen an increase of 20% compared to the period before COVID-19. One significant finding is that one in seven people indicated they felt unwell. For the time being, this upward trend in requests continues.
Yet there are also positive signs. Organisations are increasingly taking a preventive approach, which is expressed in various ways. For example, there is an increasing demand for our SONAR survey (+28%), the psychosocial risk analysis that maps out the current situation. In order to take targeted action, a good picture of the areas for improvement is needed. Organisations that start from there immediately have a much greater impact on mental health.
At the same time, there is a change in the mindset around training. A lot of responsibility is placed on managers – also around monitoring the mental health of employees – and there is a growing awareness that they need support in this.
Finally, more and more organisations are showing interest in broader psychosocial support for their employees. This is reflected, for example, in the growing number of Employee Assistance Programmes (+38%). In addition, employees and their family members can call on a psychologist for private matters. Now that more attention is being paid to the work-life balance, more people are starting to understand that what happens in the private sphere has a direct impact on work.
In the current circumstances, three specific recommendations seem appropriate to me. One: organisations would do well to focus on putting their own puzzle together. What are the needs or the stumbling blocks and how can they be addressed? Two: make mental healthcare a sustainable story. A few interventions won’t be enough to get everything sorted, but noticeable progress is within everyone’s reach by continuing to monitor and adjust. Three: operate in a participative manner and involve employees in the story. Ask them and respond to their needs. That also means regularly checking on the impact of the actions that are set up.