Psychological support for companies: what it is, characteristics and what it is for

The figure of the organizational psychologist has been acquiring special importance in the last decade, since companies know that to have a maximum performance need not to have any type of conflict between their workers, in addition to detecting possible communication problems and misunderstandings.

However, the performance of the organization is directly linked to the psychological well-being of its workers, a question of mental health that concerns the figure of the clinical psychologist.

Psychological support for companies, both from an organizational and clinical perspective, is an aspect that every organization should consider incorporating to achieve higher performance, an aspect on which we will reflect in the following paragraphs.

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Psychological support for companies and its importance

Companies increasingly value treating their employees better, offering them stimulating and comfortable environments in which to develop their work. However, and although this idea is very well intentioned, sometimes it is not enough to achieve that workers are completely comfortable in the workplace or enjoy full wellness.

Not everyone agrees that, in addition to good technological support, better infrastructure and a good salary, psychological support is a crucial aspect to achieve a good work environment.

For years, the figure of the psychologist has been gaining fame and has been freed from the idea that this type of professional is exclusive to clinical consultations and health centers. Psychologists, especially organizational psychologists but also clinical ones, are increasingly valued in companies as there are not a few who know that their presence has all kinds of advantages.

In this sense, taking care of the mental health of workers translates into a better functioning of the organization and also higher profits.

The role of the psychologist in companies goes beyond the selection of personnel. Psychologists can manage all the problems associated with emotional distress suffered by workers, difficulties in communicating with their colleagues or in their private life, the difficulties they encounter when adapting to the new work role and the conflicts that may arise in the company, among others many more.

Psychological well-being is linked to job performance, or what is the same, a happy employee is a hard-working, efficient and productive employee.

The discomfort of the worker can be addressed both in a clinical consultation and in a room of your company, but in the latter case it is especially useful with respect to his work performance because the psychologist who attends is aware of the work dynamics and problems associated with the work environment that afflict its patient.

It is for all this that many companies are committed to hiring clinical psychologists to help them improve the mental health of their workers, thus creating psychotherapeutic spaces in the workplace itself and managing stress and other emotional problems that may occur among their employees.

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More money is not more welfare

They say that money does not bring happiness. While some may question this postulate, the truth is that the belief that only having more money is better is a myth. Obviously, almost everyone wants to have money, but this is not the only thing that will bring us closer to greater psychological well-being.

The worker wants to receive a good salary, but he also wants to work in an environment where he feels comfortable, is respected and does not have problems with his colleagues.

The old view that companies had about their workers was that the better paid they were, the better they would feel. Today it is already known that this is not the case. Workers are still human persons who, when they enter their workspace they do not let go of their personal problems.

In addition, the labor context can lead to greater discomfort that will not be compensated with more money, that is, if there is problems with their colleagues or work causes them stress, they may not care to perceive a high salary.

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What problems are dealt with with psychological support for companies?

Psychological support for companies is based on both the knowledge of the organizational psychologist and the clinical psychologist.

Thanks to their combined work, it is possible to intervene on multiple problems that concern both the company as a whole and its workers individually. So, we can mention a few issues where psychological support for companies can improve.

• Anxiety in the face of economic uncertainty
• Management of social isolation when working telematically
• Family and coexistence problems
• Anxiety about health problems, own and loved ones
• Concentration problems and poor time management
• Demotivation and low mood
• Depression
• Communication problems and difficulties in social skills

These types of problems are not only a source of psychological discomfort for the person who suffers them, but, as we have mentioned, it also interferes with the way in which they work.

For this reason, the fact that the company does not adequately attend to these psychological and interpersonal alterations translates into worse job performance, or what is the same, more work accidents, more sick leave, more tension in the office, communication problems between employees, non-compliance with deliveries...

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The importance of psychotherapy in organizations

Based on what we've seen so far, we can understand that well-being and labor productivity are not independent values ​​of each other.

For this reason, more and more companies, regardless of their corporate size and income, are incorporating psychological assistance and psychotherapy services, with which It is intended to identify the specific origins of employee discomfort, the aspects of their family and work environment that have precipitated them and problems related to their personality.

The importance of psychotherapy in organizations lies in the fact that, once the emotional problems of their employees, they can be intervened by offering resources and strategies to overcome adversity and cope with needs.

On the other hand, psychological intervention in companies also has effects that go beyond each of the individuals that make up the organization. And it is that it has consequences in the work environment and even in the company philosophy that emerges from the Human Resources policies; Not surprisingly, companies that offer better coverage for the well-being of their staff enjoy a better image both among employees and outside doors, generating an element of good marketing and Relationships Public.

All of this is done, as you might expect, respecting the confidentiality of psychotherapy, which must be duly informed to the patient so that he understands that nothing he says will come out of there, that his boss will not understand what he or she tells and that the psychologist is not the spy of his superiors.