Advantages of having psychological support in the work environment

Let's do a memory exercise. In what company, organization or even study center have you felt cared for, listened to and have you noticed that they have been concerned about your health, whether physical or mental?

Let's continue with the exercise, do you think that apart from doing a job, a service to a company or study in a center these should go a step further and worry about your mental well-being or physical? Could we even consider it a basic right for any worker?

It seems more widespread and generalized within the world of work to accept sick leave due to injuries or physical illnesses than Normally accept that there are employees who can request them for any problem related to their well-being emotional. It is as if these problems did not occur or were outside the workplace.

And much less accepted is that this mental problem can be derived from the conditions of the work itself or of the relationships that are established there between colleagues, bosses, leadership styles or the culture of the company. It would mean opening a debate in the company that, on many occasions, is too uncomfortable and that leaders and general managers prefer to avoid.

• Related article: "Psychology of work and organizations: a profession with a future"

Consequences of emotional discomfort in the work environment

There is a wide variety of articles that have studied how they influence psychosocial factors of work on the emotional well-being of workers. Among these factors, we can highlight the degree of controllability/uncontrollability perceived by the person about the work they do and whether the job demands exceed their personal resources and capabilities.

If these types of stressors are maintained over time, they can negatively affect emotional well-being, leading to high levels of stress, anxiety disorders, exhaustion or work wear (burnout) or depressive states. In addition, the worker may negatively perceive her work, its characteristics, the workspace itself, the relationships with peers and have unpleasant emotions about it, leading to avoidance and even phobia towards same.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), anxiety and depression disorders are the most common among workers around the world, with figures above 300 million affected in the case of depressive disorders and more than 260 million who are affected by problems related to anxiety.

• You may be interested in: "Work stress: causes, and how to combat it"

Advantages of investing in emotional well-being in the company

If quantified in economic terms, it is indicated that the loss of performance and productivity linked to emotional well-being would reach the amount of one trillion dollars per year. As can be deduced, betting on the encouragement and promotion of measures to improve labor well-being will have as a direct benefit greater productivity, less absenteeism and a reduction in losses economic.

Law 31/1995 of November 8 on Occupational Risk Prevention established the bases to regulate the safety and health of workers by applying measures and developing Mandatory activities for the prevention of risks related to work. Undoubtedly, this law represented a great advance in the work environment and allowed the issuance of sanctions in case of non-compliance with it. However, this law has not yet covered the full spectrum of problems associated with occupational health and, more specifically, emotional well-being.

In Spain, some companies, based on compliance with the Occupational Risk Prevention Law, have expanded the coverage and planned actions to not only prevent, but also intervene and foster a healthy organizational culture, covering areas as diverse as nutrition, physical health, conciliation, equality and, of course, emotional well-being. Thus arises the concept of "Healthy Company".

In the III Edition of the 'IBEX 35 Observatory. Health, Well-being and Sustainability in IBEX 35' companies, explains how 70% of the IBEX 35 companies have already launched specific initiatives on emotional well-being for their employees.

This percentage is even higher, reaching 88%, regarding provisions for active listening to improve well-being and business culture. According to the report, 88% of companies carry out measures of active listening to workers, a fundamental element in the process of integrating the culture of well-being in the company. Another interesting fact is that 39% of the IBEX 35 companies link health and well-being objectives to the executive remuneration and, around 42%, recognize these healthy terms within their risk map labor.

The European Network for Workplace Health Promotion (ENWHP) has come to the conclusion that every euro invested in health promotion programs Health at work gives rise to a return of between €2.5 and €4.8 in relation to work absenteeism and between €2.3 and €5.9 in cost of disease.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) publication, The Wellness Imperative, Creating More Effective Organizations, when workplace well-being is actively promoted at work:

• Organizations are seen 2.5 times more efficient.
• Organizations are seen 3 times more productive.
• Workers are 8 times more committed.
• Organizations are seen 3.5 times more focused on creativity and research.
• Organizations are viewed 4 times less likely to lose talent in the next year.

• Related article: "The 6 pillars of Human Resources"

Benefits for workers of having psychological support

We see below, more specifically, the multiple benefits for workers of applying psychological support programs in the work environment:

• Improves self-esteem, confidence and responsibility with the company.
• Improve communication skills, social skills and interpersonal relationships at all levels.
• Decreases the perception of stress in the face of workload.
• Decreases the probability of suffering anxiety disorders, depression and stress.
• The mood and positivity of employees is directly proportional to productivity, performance and a more positive work environment.
• Increases creativity, concentration and participation among employees.
• Increase the quality of rest and sleep improvement and, as a consequence, employees will find themselves with more energy and more motivation.
• The improvement in emotional well-being will strengthen attention processes, memory and cognitive functions in general.

On the opposite side, not betting on an improvement in the emotional well-being of the employee will maintain and accentuate problems Associated with a worse mood and bad mood, physical aches and pains, increased irritability, relational problems including those with a partner, and loss of sexual desire; inability to concentrate, substance addiction, poor eating habits, weight loss or gain, problems doing quality work, etc.

• You may be interested in: "Psychological well-being: 15 habits to achieve it"

Business benefits of applying psychological support programs

Let us now see the business benefits of applying psychological support programs in the work environment.

1. Taking care of the most important thing in your company, your workers

Sometimes we forget that An organization is made up of individual people who form a collective. If we take care of each member we will have a healthy, motivated organization with better performance.

2. Development of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Companies are no longer mere producers of economic benefits. A modern and cutting-edge company must provide an impact and benefit to its members and society in general. Support for emotional well-being is one of the measures requested.

3. Reduction of absenteeism and improvement of the reconciliation of work-family life

When we have mentally healthy employees, sick leave decreases, they are more motivated to work. In addition, it makes employees face workloads with greater guarantees and balance your personal and professional life.

4. Performance improvement

There are several studies that indicate that an employee with greater well-being has better productivity. It seems logical, but not taking care of your employee or improving his mental balance at work is a significant detriment to the company.

5. Increased motivation and retention

In line with the previous point, more motivated workers will identify to a greater extent with the company and will not look for other jobs in the labor market. If you take care of your employee, he will have less reason to change.

What does an emotional well-being program include in the workplace?

6. Physical work environment.

Take care of spaces, offices, furniture, etc. and that they are attractive and healthy places to carry out any type of work. Even take care of aspects such as lighting or access to natural areas and, failing that, install areas with green areas and plants that can improve the mood.

7. Preventive work and addiction intervention

Whether in terms of harmful substances such as tobacco or other types of drugs or digital addictions, such as the compulsive use of technology.

8. nutritional area

Guidelines and training in healthy eating and, even, provide food and drinks on that line.

9. Environment and psychosocial factors

Define well the workloads, functions and jobs so that the stressors do not overwhelm the competences of the employees.

10. Reconciliation of work and personal life

Be flexible and provide facilities to generate a good balance between personal, family, social life and our work, being the bosses the first to set an example.

11. Communication area

Regularly send healthy organizational culture messages and give employees a voice and vote to express themselves freely.

12. Active listening on emotional well-being

Do it through the human resources department, the health department or by offering the services of psychologists who advise or develop psychological therapy tailored to the needs of employees. Internal psychologists, who, like company doctors, take care of the psychological well-being of workers, and external psychologists who guarantee the confidentiality of the processes therapeutic.

13. Measurement and analysis of results and new proposals

Measure actions and share results and new proposals with employees, in order to have reliable data when making decisions about the emotional well-being program.

In conclusion…

There can be no full health without emotional well-being. It is very likely that in our professional career, as we assume new functions and responsibilities, we will go through adverse situations, stress due to the load of work, a bad relationship with colleagues or superiors or pressure for not being able to face a certain task, which can lead to anxiety disorders and depression of diverse nature.

The benefits associated with emotional well-being programs are numerous. and the improvement of global health, the reduction of casualties, the increase in productivity and performance could be highlighted. economy, the retention of talent by feeling cared for or the improvement of corporate social responsibility and the external image of the company.

Companies are obliged to play an active and fundamental role in preventing psychosocial risks at work and must develop actions to promote emotional well-being, not as something exceptional, but as something inherent to the organization. Without health, people cannot successfully face the current challenges of work, so having psychological support in the work environment with an external psychologist today becomes one of the main measures that organizations can adopt to ensure their results.