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A scientific study shows how permanent change affects mental health – and what companies can do to systematically and specifically promote the well-being of their employees. Here are practical recommendations for action from Philipp Laemmert, University of Bayreuth, and Lea Haug, Egym.
Executive Summary
Mental health in the company – eight recommendations for action
- The challenge: Permanent change has become the norm. Technological changes, polycrises and increasing demands significantly increase the psychological stress on employees. Many companies are still reacting with individual measures that do not address the structural causes of the problem.
- The solution: The study shows that mental health in companies can only be sustainably strengthened if change is actively and holistically shaped. An integrated approach of leadership, organizational development and corporate health management is crucial. Transparent communication, clear boundary management strategies, resilience-promoting working conditions and a systematic anchoring of WHM in the corporate strategy form the central levers.
- Your benefit: Companies reduce stress, strengthen performance and increase loyalty and attractiveness as employers. Managers gain orientation in dealing with change processes, employees experience more stability and support.
- Focus: Mental health in the company, long-term change, integrated BGM, leadership in change, resilience, work design.
Now more than ever, companies and organizations are forced to constantly adapt and evolve to meet the challenges of increasingly dynamic and changing work demands. The modern world of work is characterized by constant change, influenced by factors such as technological advances, globalization, demographic changes, changing social values and the so-called polycrisis.
This dynamic environment can have a significant impact on the mental health of employees as they are increasingly confronted with uncertainty, more complex work processes and increased pressure to perform. Against this background, a health-promoting corporate culture becomes a competitive advantage in the fight for workers.
Corporate health management is becoming increasingly important in order to ensure the well-being and performance of employees in times of constant change and to continuously work on a healthy organizational culture.
Objectives and methodology of the study
The aim of the study is to present the current state of research on the effects of continuous change on the mental health of employees and to develop practical recommendations for action for companies. The basis is a systematic literature research, supplemented by expert interviews from the areas of organizational development, work psychology and company health promotion.
Study results: Recognize stress, build resilience
The results show that the constant change in the world of work causes a variety of psychological stresses, including exhaustion and anxiety. At the same time, the expert interviews show that there are numerous approaches to overcome these challenges. This includes a holistic approach as well as measures to promote resilience, the implementation of flexible working models and the creation of an open communication culture.
Proactively shaping change through targeted training and health promotion programs as well as raising awareness is seen as essential for the long-term mental health of employees. According to the experts, leadership plays a key role in dealing with continuous change processes.
Recommendations for action
1. Mental health in the company: WHM as a strategic anchor
In times of constant change, companies should take targeted measures to promote the mental health of their employees. A holistic, integrated approach to corporate health management is particularly effective. In this way, negative consequences such as exhaustion and anxiety can be reduced preventively and at the same time the positive effects of change can be specifically strengthened.
2. Leadership culture: create openness and trust
A culture of openness and transparency in which mental health is removed from taboos and made a central issue would be helpful. Employees should be able to talk about it without fear of stigmatization. Managers play a key role by acting as role models to create a trusting atmosphere. Regular training can help you recognize psychological stress early and respond appropriately.
The need to promote open communication about mental health and prevent stigma is emphasized throughout. Companies should rethink their communication strategies and focus on proactive, transparent communication to reduce uncertainty.
3. Use flexibility: Design new working models to be healthy
At the same time, it is important to specifically promote positive aspects of change – such as self-determination and the compatibility of work and family. Flexibility and autonomy can be further strengthened through new working models and technologies, for example by expanding flexible working hours and home office options. It is important that these measures should not lead to increased stress, but rather improve the work-life balance, satisfaction and productivity of employees. Regular dialogue formats should be introduced into companies.
4. Integration of company health management into the corporate strategy
Another important step should be the systematic integration of company health management into the corporate strategy. Companies are legally obliged to carry out a psychological stress risk assessment (GBP) in order to take preventive measures at an early stage. This assessment helps to identify and specifically minimize psychological stress at work. Regular reviews and adjustments of the measures would be necessary to ensure that they meet the current requirements and needs of employees.
5. Prevention through border management
To prevent overwhelm and exhaustion, companies should introduce flexible working models with clear boundary management strategies. Especially when working from home, the mixing of work and private life often leads to exhaustion. Clear regulations on working and rest times as well as limited accessibility outside of working hours therefore make sense. Training can help employees to better separate work and leisure time – an important contribution to preventing burnout and protecting recovery phases.
6. Resilience training and advice
Resilience training and psychosocial counseling options can be further building blocks of a comprehensive strategy to promote mental health. Companies can offer programs that train employees to build resilience and learn effective stress management techniques. It should be noted that the effect of the different techniques can vary from person to person.
Accordingly, attention should be paid to a diverse range of offerings, for example MBSR courses, sports (yoga) courses, training on breathing techniques and strengthening resilience. In addition, psychosocial counseling services could be established to offer employees support in difficult life situations. Access to such services must be made low-threshold in order to reduce inhibitions and promote widespread use.
7. Regular evaluation
In summary, companies can create a healthy and productive work environment through an integrated approach that aims to both reduce negative impacts and enhance positive impacts. It would be important to regularly evaluate and adapt all measures to ensure that they meet changing requirements and that the mental health of employees is sustainably promoted.
Through a combination of dialogue, prevention, support and targeted promotion, companies could create a working environment that not only meets the challenges of constant change, but also focuses on the health and well-being of employees.
8. Self-care: What employees can actively do
It is important to mention that employees can also take a variety of measures to promote their mental health in times of constant change and to proactively address challenges. On an individual level, employees are encouraged to actively participate in shaping their work environment and develop strategies for self-care and stress management.
Measures such as consciously reflecting on one’s own needs, building social networks and taking advantage of further training and further education offers can strengthen the resilience of employees and help them to better meet the challenges of constant change. By actively taking responsibility for their own well-being and using targeted stress management strategies, employees can make a significant contribution to maintaining their mental health.
Conclusion: Sustainably promote mental health in the company
It can be said that the constant change in the modern working world brings with it both risks and opportunities for the mental health of employees. The results of this work underline the need to take targeted measures at various levels to promote mental health and prepare employees for the challenges of change.
Only through the interaction of organizational strategies and individual initiatives can a healthy and sustainable working environment be created that meets the requirements of the modern working world. Organizational development, personnel development and company health management should go hand in hand.
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