Promoting Emotional Well-being in the Workplace: Challenges and Solutions
A recent session of TherapyChat’s Coffee & Talks explored the impact of emotional well-being on businesses and the challenges facing organizations as they seek to promote it within their teams. The event aimed to facilitate access to quality emotional support and to destigmatize mental health care.
During the European Mental Health Week (EMHW), which ran from May 22 to May 28, under the theme “Mentally Healthy Communities,” Antonia Casado, the HR and Organization Director of the State Foundation for Employment Training (FUNDAE), and Isabel Aranda, the Chief Content Officer of TherapyChat, were joined by representatives from some of Spain’s major business sectors.
According to FREMAP, 15% of sick days in 2021 were due to mental health disorders, while the Labor Market Guide 2022 reported that 43% of Spanish professionals suffer from stress or burnout, pointing to the need to prioritize mental health as a social responsibility.
Organizations are increasingly searching for ways to incentivize emotional well-being and prevent psychosocial risks such as occupational stress and burnout. However, the magnitude of the challenge often leaves companies feeling lost, whether due to a lack of awareness, a need for a cultural shift, or the absence of a suitable plan.
Isabel Aranda emphasized that promoting happiness is not enough; organizations must implement measures that consider the cognitive and behavioural aspects of how employees think, feel, and act. TherapyChat focuses on the scientific concept of psychological well-being, which “refers to the state of personal capacity and growth that provides optimal functioning and enables a person to work to the fullest. In the same way that one exercises and cares for the body, the mind must also be cared for.»
Antonia Casado noted the evolution of the concept of «risk prevention,» highlighting the importance of the holistic view of health, including mental well-being. She emphasized that the health of workers is not merely the absence of physical illness but should encompass their psychological well-being. FUNDAE has implemented emotional management training workshops to address this issue, recognizing that real change requires a shift in corporate culture.
The Coffee & Talks session brought together industry leaders, including Isabel Gavilanes, Director of Selection, Training, and Development at Alcampo; Elena Rodriguez Conejero, a social worker at the Bank of Spain; Blanca Miranda, Enterprise Events & Communication at Cobee; Jorge Martinez Leis, Senior Account Executive at Cobee; Marta Gonzalo Manjon, Employee Experience at Minsait; and Laura Martin Gonzalez, a specialist in training and development at Minsait.
Since its establishment in 2016, TherapyChat has signed agreements with more than 500 companies, creating plans customized to the needs of each organization, including the provision of psychological support to employees.
As the awareness of mental health issues continues to grow, initiatives like TherapyChat’s Coffee & Talks offer opportunities for businesses to address these challenges and create mentally healthy workplaces.
