A word slipped in around the coffee machine, another at the end of a meeting or a one-to-one conversation - " You didn't seem to be in the mood" For example, managers could use these little questions to gauge the fragility of one or other of their teams. But what is the situation with the widespread adoption of hybrid working, a model which is now in the majority in Europe (56%) and North America (60%) according to International SOS? Popular with employees, this flexible model obviously has the following advantages number of advantages, but also some disadvantages. Whether it's less ergonomic workstations, longer working hours, sometimes unclear insurance cover, but above all greater isolation.
Still according to the world specialist in assistance and safety-security, twice as many people who mainly telework claim to enjoy greater autonomy. On the downside, these are also the people who have half as likely to share their mental health problems. This is not an insignificant issue these days, particularly in countries with the most developed economies. The WHO estimates that 15% of workers worldwide suffer from a mental health problem. Anxiety and depression alone are equivalent to 12 billion lost working days a year.
The pandemic is now compounded by concerns about purchasing power, climate change and the future of the world. As Xavier Carn, VP Security EMEA for International SOS, pointed out in in a recent interview on our websitefollow a trend observed during the covid, " to know more a 25% increase in psychological and mental problems" .
As part of its mission to help companies meet their obligations - the famous "duty of care" - International SOS aims to support these companies beyond their expatriates and frequent travellers. A movement already underway before covidBut the pandemic has made it all the more necessary. " We'll always be there if a passenger has an accident or a company suffers a security incident, but a new way of working means new challenges for employers.says Philippe Guibert. The role of the middle manager was magnified during the pandemic, when they had to take charge of fragmented teams as well as managing their own stress. With the continuation of the hybrid format, this responsibility continues." .
However, with fewer face-to-face meetings, managers are putting more pressure on their staff. all the more time to detect the fragility of their employees and, consequently, for companies to support their employees. That's precisely what International SOS is aiming to do: find solutions to help mental ill-health get on the radar more effectively, in particular through dedicated training courses. The primary aim of this training is to break down a major barrier: the stigma attached to mental health. " This subject must become as open as that of a chronic illnessPhilippe Guibert likes to hope. Without turning them into psychologists, we can give managers the keys to understanding the basics of human psychology so that they can recognise incipient depression, anxiety or paralysing stress that the person concerned would find difficult to share." .
These training courses, which are already being offered in the United Kingdom, provide managers with a first aid kit to help them give the right answers and, above all, avoid the wrong ones. you'll see, it'll get better" the " you're exaggerating a bit" . Rather than denying the suffering, which could further isolate the employee, International SOS encourages a more open approach: " Without wishing to intrude on your private life, I can see that you're not well. I recognise your stress or anxiety and encourages you to talk about it. "All of which leads to employees in distress being referred to occupational medicine or psychological helplines. But the aim of these training courses is not unequivocal. At the same time, they are also aimed at employees to show that they can discuss their problems with their manager. The aim is to create a climate of trust so that the two can talk more freely.
In addition to demonstrating that dialogue is possible, International SOS recommends the introduction of other toolsThese solutions can take a digital form, such as the Core Health application deployed by International SOS, which enables HR and occupational health departments to monitor the health and well-being of employees via self-reporting tools. These solutions can also take a digital form, such as the Core Health application deployed by International SOS, which enables HR and occupational health departments to monitor the health and well-being of employees via self-diagnosis and reporting tools.
