Yellow September: Mental health problems cause financial losses for companies, research shows

Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that 264 million people worldwide suffer from depression and anxiety, which is not only a major public health problem that deserves attention, but also causes the loss of around US $1 trillion a year to the world economy. The numbers reveal the importance of companies also joining awareness campaigns about mental health care, especially Yellow September.

Although it may have genetic and biochemical factors, depression and anxiety can also be caused by what the Ministry of Health (MS) calls “vital events”, such as situations of great stress or life trauma. These episodes can occur in almost any environment, including the world of work. In a survey by consultancy firm Capita, 47% of respondents said they thought it was normal to feel anxiety and stress in their professional lives. The majority (53%) also said they knew someone who was forced to leave their job due to stress.

To combat this scenario, companies have increasingly invested in actions aimed at caring for the mental health of employees. A survey by Wellable, an employee well-being management platform, revealed that 67% of companies consulted offer employee assistance programs and 46% value mental health education resources, such as lectures and training.

Collaborating in the role of full buyer of the Tapajós Group, a leading pharmaceutical company in the Northern Region, Sidriane Guimarães considers it essential that the company offers its employees free psychological care on a weekly basis at the company’s headquarters in Manaus, or in the format online to any of the more than 2 thousand employees spread across the four states in which it operates (Amazonas, Roraima, Rondônia and Pará).

“I believe that psychological counseling offers a series of benefits, such as improving mental health, reducing stress and anxiety, developing coping skills, promoting self-awareness and self-esteem, as well as providing a safe space to explore emotions and traumas. Not everyone has this accessibility to professionals in the field”,

highlights.

Another employee of the group, who preferred not to have her name revealed, has an anxiety disorder and saw her symptoms increase after being promoted for her dedication to the company. “I didn’t feel capable or capable, which made my anxiety episodes more frequent.”

That’s when he discovered that the company offered psychology services for free. “In a conversation with colleagues in the sector, they reported that they had a professional who was providing assistance and helping employees a lot”, he recalls. And so she began to undergo therapy in private time at her workplace.

In addition to the professional made available by the company, all employees and direct family members can receive psychological or psychiatric support through the health plan provided by the company. Likewise, there are in-person and online service options.

Mental hygiene

But attention to mental health does not end with having a trained professional in the company, according to the organizational development coordinator of the Tapajós Group, Elaine de Sousa Araújo, the company has invested for years in the so-called “mental hygiene” of employees. The expression defines “cleaning” or protecting the mind against negative thoughts, especially fear and anxiety.

“We have a training platform, the Corporate University, in which several courses are available focused on quality of life and also motivational issues, both for our type of business and for the employee’s personal growth. In addition, we have a frequency of lectures held in the company auditorium, always of a motivational nature”,

she comments.

The next lecture is already scheduled for September 12th. The event will feature the company’s own psychologists, Jackeline Brandão and Marcione Almeida, and will be aimed at promoting information about Yellow September, including the prevention of mental disorders and suicide. “The lecture will be online so that we can reach employees at our branches and also external audiences who want to attend”, says the coordinator.

Dialogue opening

Still on the Capita consultancy survey, almost half (49%) of those interviewed said they did not think their immediate superior would know what to do if the employee talked to him about a mental health problem. At Grupo Tapajós, Elaine says that managers are trained to ensure this openness in the work environment.

“Our store managers tend to hold meetings every day. These meetings even have names, such as ‘Good Morning with Success’ and ‘Good Morning with Love’, and they work a lot on emotional issues, mainly because our business is about health and quality of life. One of the questions we ask in these circles is ‘how are you feeling today?’, precisely to stimulate this emotional openness”,

she comments.

Yellow September

Yellow September is an awareness campaign about the prevention of mental disorders and suicide, carried out worldwide during the month of September. Its main objective is to alert society to the importance of openly discussing topics related to mental health, eliminating stigmas and offering support to people who are facing emotional crises.

The campaign seeks to promote empathy, active listening and access to psychological assistance resources, aiming to reduce suicide rates and promote a healthier mindset in relation to mental health. If you need help, call 188 (Life Appreciation Center) free of charge at any time.

*With information from consultancy

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