We never stop talking about mental health. It is a matter of concern. The difficult (and prolonged) access to public health and the fact that many people are unable to seek help when they are feeling emotionally ill means that mental health problems are beginning to escalate in what seems an unstoppable way.
Recognizing this, many companies have already launched health policies that include plans to improve mental health, with services such as psychology, activities such as meditation or mindfulness, or coverage (partial or full) by private health insurance.
However, it seems that it is not enough, because the data that reaches us on the mental state of workers in Spain is increasingly negative.
On this occasion, it was the University and People Foundation that carried out the latest report on this topic, taking advantage of the fact that today is the World Day for Safety and Health at Work and the results are devastating.
The general director of the foundation, Joan Pinol, points out that since 2020, “The mental health of the population has deteriorated, and is far from improving, it continues to decline. Returning to face-to-face work has caused anxiety, stress or agoraphobia-related disorders that end up translating into behavioral disorders linked, for example, to addiction or eating habits“.
Fuente: Elaboración propia basada en los datos de la Fundación Universidad y Personas
Current state of mind: Only 26% of workers feel encouraged
We know that the state of mind of people in the work environment directly affects productivity, Engagementoccupational accidents, absenteeism and, of course, sick leave.
Therefore, implementing measures and services that contribute to improving the psychological and emotional state of the people who work in them is a challenge for organizations.
According to survey data, 35% of workers feel sad every day: 31% feel this way at some time during the day and 4% realize that this is their general state of mind.
Sadness is a normal emotion that we all feel at different times in our lives. However, persistent sadness can lead to some mental health issues such as depression. For this reason, it is important to focus on improving the mood of employees as a means of preventing mental illness in the future.
39% of employees say they don’t feel sad and only 26% describe their state of mind as “optimistic”.
Anxiety is at our heels
6 out of 10 workers in our country feel stressed every day. It may seem natural to look at the events that happen throughout the day that can cause our moods to change and stress to surface. However, it is not normal (or healthy) to feel stressed every day, as this condition can lead to more serious problems such as an anxiety disorder.
Only 12% of those surveyed feel relaxed and 27% confirmed that they do not usually feel stress at work.
Rest is associated with stress and anxiety. When something is on our minds and affecting us emotionally, sleep quality decreases proportionately. In this sense, the University Foundation and the people have found out 50% of workers find it difficult to sleep well.
We’re not okay, but we’re not asking for help either
According to data collected from 50 companies that provide their employees with a psychological and emotional care service, the state of tension, nervousness and sadness among employees causes, in addition to negative effects in the work environment, problems in the personal environment, especially with the partner and children.
Despite the disturbing data and the known effectiveness of psychological and psychological care in improving mood, There is still a huge hurdle when it comes to asking for help.
Women remain the most willing to seek professional help. Sothe profile of an applicant for psychosocial assistance in these organizations corresponds to that of a woman, between 30 and 50 years old..
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