“Teams with better well-being are more productive”, analyzes expert

posted on 04/28/2024 06:00

Brazilian companies that promote guidelines and actions aimed at the mental health of their employees, starting this month, will be able to receive the Mental Health Promoting Company Certificate from the federal government. The determination is provided for in Bill 14,831/2024, recently approved by the Federal Senate.

To understand more about the topic, the Mail interviewed doctor in psychiatry Pedro Shiozawa, specialist in applied clinical research at Harvard Medical School and professor in the Department of Mental Health at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP). Check it out below.

What does the approval of Law 14,831/2024 mean for discussions about the mental health of Brazilian workers?

This law, by establishing clear guidelines and obligations for the protection and promotion of mental health in the workplace, represents a significant milestone in discussions about the well-being of Brazilian workers. Explicitly, the message is sent that looking at mental health is a value, it is something important, serious and that has relevant consequences for society. We have to remember that the topic is still a taboo in our society and that the approval of this law is a big step towards breaking stigmas and prejudices on the topic.

Is the law alone enough to improve conditions in the workplace? What other actions and factors are important in this process?

No. The law is a fundamental step, but not sufficient. Now, we must focus on the developments and the doors that the approval of the law opens. Now is the time for organizations to responsibly revisit their approach to mental health by creating robust and relevant programs focused on training, measurement and support. These actions must be ongoing so that companies can manage the construction of a healthy culture within their identity. To this end, having assertive well-being measurement tools, training with specialists and tool approaches with quality information are some of the strategies that should happen more and more. At the end of the day, we have to remember that mental health is a value to be built internally in companies and continually honed.

We know that anxiety and depression are the diseases of the century. But which others are linked exclusively to work?

There are psychiatric conditions that may have some dysfunctional work relationships as contributing factors to their appearance or worsening, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder and mood disorders, for example. However, thinking about a condition exclusively related to work takes us to the infamous scenario of burnout, which, it is worth highlighting, is not considered in medical circles as a disease status, but rather as a condition resulting from chronic stress at work that was not successfully managed. Burnout is characterized by exhaustion, cynicism or negative feelings related to the environment, and reduced professional effectiveness. It is currently recognized by the WHO as a syndrome exclusively related to work. But, in addition to thinking about disorders themselves, we have to remember that, when stressful things happen, we get upset. Therefore, it is common for us to have reactions to this type of stress, such as insomnia, irritability, memory failure and physical manifestations, without them representing a disease itself.

How can companies register to receive the certificate?

To receive the certificate, which will be valid for two years and will be granted by a government commission yet to be created, the company must meet three fundamental requirements:

1- Implement programs to promote mental health in the workplace, for example, through psychological and psychiatric support resources for workers; raise awareness about the importance of mental health through campaigns and training, training leaders and measuring well-being with assertive and relevant tools;

2- Promote a safe and healthy work environment (for example, through incentives for balance between personal and professional life and the practice of physical activities);

3- Publicize actions and policies related to promoting the mental health and well-being of its workers.

What is the main challenge for advancing the agenda in the country? There is hope?

The main challenge is still stigma. In a recent survey of our ecosystem in partnership with GPTW, we observed that, for 2024, the main management challenge for the leaders interviewed in the survey is mental health. However, only around half of companies have a dedicated budget to invest in change. This disconnect between understanding the relevance of the topic and having instruments and budget to address the issue is still a major challenge. In my opinion, this disconnect still stems from not understanding that, when we talk about growth, engagement, goals and profit, we are also talking about mental health. We know, in fact, that teams with better levels of emotional well-being are more engaged and productive teams, where there is a significant drop in turnover and greater talent retention. So, without a doubt, there is hope and this hope is strongly based on the creation of a more positive culture about mental health, which increasingly stops being talk about illness and becomes business talk.

Faced with an increasingly demanding job market, what golden advice would you give to professionals to preserve their health?

I believe that being open to talking about mental health and understanding that our emotions enter the company are key. Raising your hand and asking for help when necessary and everyone knowing their role in this process guarantees transformation. If we learned anything during the pandemic, it is that people are an organization’s most valuable asset. I have no doubt. Looking at mental health is best for individuals, business and society. This is a path of no return.