Since the health crisis, mental health at work has established itself as a major issue for society. The figures speak for themselves: in 2023, according to a study conducted by Teale, 23% of workers are in a critical or at-risk state of mental health, making psychological disorders the leading cause of long-term sick leave*.
One question stands out: what role can the company play in supporting the mental health of its employees?
Each person's mental state encompasses both the personal and the professional sphere. Acting within this fine boundary can prove delicate for a company. Fanny and Inès, from the Morning HR team, tell us in detail about the solutions that exist. At the heart of these solutions: a company culture that encourages exchange, complemented by workshops and in-house solutions to understand the origins of stress and encourage people to speak up, with, of course, easy access to care and a network of experts.
Initiatives for a positive working environment
The first step is to take the pulse of the team, to check in regularly to gauge its mental state.
Each month, a questionnaire (dubbed the "Morning Mood") is sent to the whole team. The questions, deliberately simple – "On a scale of 1 to 10, how are you feeling this month?" or "Are you happy to get up in the morning?" – make it possible to quickly identify situations that call for particular attention.
To obtain the richest, most reliable information, you need to create an environment where everyone feels free to voice their difficulties. This approach fits naturally within the Morning culture, which promotes transparency and trust. That transparency allows HR to take the true temperature of the team.
It goes hand in hand with regular one-to-ones with HR – valuable moments to explore any difficulties in greater depth. Experience has shown us, in particular, that certain periods, such as the return in September or the end of the year, can be especially intense.
Which allows us to anticipate and adapt our support accordingly.
Understanding the sources of stress and encouraging people to speak up
In the face of workplace stress, the figures are telling: 65% of stressed employees don't know how to free themselves from their negative thoughts.*
Yet the impact of good stress management is considerable – employees who master these stress-management techniques are three times more engaged and productive in their work.
Over the years, the Morning HR team has experimented with different approaches to support our employees. The first collective stress-management workshops, though interesting on paper, didn't meet with the hoped-for success. The overly formal setting and the group format didn't always make it possible to broach subjects that can be very personal with any ease.
To counter this problem, we began a collaboration with our coach Sandrine Thery. Present two mornings a month on our premises, she offers one-to-one, confidential sessions lasting an hour. The success was immediate: "Demand is so strong that we've had to double the available slots", the HR team confides. These sessions make it possible to address issues of stress as well as questions of self-confidence or professional development.
Easier access to care and to a network of professionals
To round out this scheme, several partnerships providing easier access to care have been put in place.
Our health insurer Vivinter thus offers an annual allowance of €200 dedicated to alternative medicine. This sum can be used to consult a range of professionals: psychologists, sophrologists, naturopaths...
Through the SantéClair service, our employees also have access to a network of accredited practitioners. This approach helps remove one of the main barriers to seeking help: the difficulty of identifying trustworthy professionals.
Managing stress in the workplace is an ongoing challenge that calls for continuous adaptation. The results are there: employees who manage to keep their stress at a manageable level are 2.2 times more motivated and productive than others*. That's why we stay attuned to our teams' needs so we can keep evolving our practices. Because in the end, the goal is simple: to allow everyone to find the resources they need to preserve their balance.
Do you want to move your company forward on managing stress?
Sign up for our next Bureau des Talents.
On 12 December, our experts share their concrete solutions to better support mental health in the workplace. Join us at Morning Panoramas for a morning of discussion over breakfast.
*According to a study carried out by Teale in 2023 among more than 10,000 French employees from over 100 companies of all sizes and across all sectors of activity.
Our team is available to assist you.
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