Mental health, exhaustion, long hours of virtual work and stress have configured new practices at work to deal with this problem.
Bogota, July 2, 2022. After two years where workers had to learn to work remotely as a team, balance their work responsibilities with those of the home, as well as navigate worrying world events, wars, pandemics, rising inflation and general uncertainty; stress and exhaustion are taking their toll. According to a recent Mercer-Marsh study, Colombia is the country with the most work-related stress in Latin America, where the rate is 56% compared to 50% in the rest of the territory.
It should be noted that, although this exhaustion is not a medical condition, it has the potential to negatively affect mental and physical health, causing high levels of anxiety and depression, lack of sleep, increased fatigue, among others.
“Workplace wellness affects all aspects of work life, and employees expect their companies to foster an environment that meets their needs and enables them to perform at their best. At WeWork, the health and safety of our members and global communities are of the utmost importance. For this reason, we continue to take measures to optimize our spaces and services, in order to guarantee that we can all continue with our tasks without worries.”, explained Juan Carlos Peñaloza, country manager for WeWork Colombia.
Within the measures that some companies have taken to improve the mental health of employees and reduce burnout, some strategies have emerged, among which the following can be highlighted:
- Initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion:A survey conducted by Willis Towers Watson in mid-2021 among employers around the world found that for 60% of global respondents, these initiatives were critical to addressing employee well-being.
- Encourage employees to take more time offto promote work-life balance.
- Increase the salary: Better compensation leads to greater job satisfaction. High job insecurity and very low wages increase the likelihood of stress.
- Mental health care: A survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 39% of companies had made changes to their health plans to expand access to mental health services.
- Creative environments: The companies have implemented various initiatives, including the installation of a flexible work policy, the provision of spaces where employees can feel comfortable, have fun and even take a nap during the day or “days without meetings”, with the goal of giving employees more time to focus on work and allowing them more control over their schedules.
“Fortunately, many companies now recognize the seriousness of the problem. Although there is no easy solution, there are many opportunities both at the level of technology and infrastructure for companies to allow their employees to work from where they feel most comfortable and happy”Penaloza concluded.