Promoting mental health in companies has never been so necessary, and the topic has been gaining more and more space in business management. Therefore, more professionals are looking for good practices and tools that help in this task. However, some do not always consider the use of the famous ISO 45001 for this!
Although ISO 45001 does not specifically address mental health, correctly implementing this standard can significantly contribute to promoting the physical and mental well-being of employees.
As we well know, ISO 45001 is an international standard published by the International Standard Organization (ISO). The document establishes requirements and guidelines for occupational health and safety management systems (OH&SMS) in organizations. Here we understand that it indirectly acts to promote mental health, since safety and physical integrity are a basic factor for well-being and for mental health itself.
But it doesn’t stop here, some peculiarities of ISO 45001 are essential for promoting mental health in companies and improving the work environment. In today’s content, we will talk a little about these factors and about the importance of the 45001 for organizations and interested parties.
Understand the objectives of ISO 45001:2018.
Identification and Assessment of Psychosocial Risks
Psychosocial risks are at the heart of any system that seeks to promote mental health. In summary, they are factors that have the potential to negatively affect the mental health, well-being, and performance of our employees. Generally, these risks are related to various factors, such as:
- The interaction between the operating environment of the processes;
- The organization of work and tasks;
- The working conditions;
- The interpersonal relationships of the employees;
- The skills and needs of the employees;
- Among others.
One of the pillars of ISO 45001 is the identification of risks that may affect employees, and of course, psychosocial risks are involved. The standard determines that organizations identify and assess these risks. Among the most common, we can mention stress, harassment, and workload, factors that can (and will) affect the mental health of the people who work with us.
Employee Participation: Something Fundamental to Promote Mental Health
Another requirement among the ISO 45001 standards is the participation of employees! This happens because no stakeholder knows better about their mental health than they do, right?
Therefore, the standard emphasizes the importance of the participation of the relevant parties in the occupational health and safety management system. This participation can include both consultation on issues related to mental health and their involvement in the identification of psychosocial risks, as well as in the development of preventive measures and other action plans.
Communication and Awareness about Mental Health
Thanks to advances in management theory, today we know that awareness is essential for any organizational action. And to correctly raise awareness among people, we need a very well-targeted strategic communication.
Therefore, effective communication is an essential element in ISO 45001. The standard emphasizes that companies can use this requirement to increase awareness about mental health issues, provide information and resources to employees, and promote a culture of mutual support. Likewise, maintaining communication channels with people will help the company identify problems, risks, and actions related to the topic.
Training and Development Lead to Continuous Improvement
Promoting mental health in companies is an ongoing and intense job. Due to constant changes in the internal and external context, there will always be new challenges and issues to be overcome.
Therefore, ISO 45001 requires that organizations provide adequate training for employees. This can involve a wide range of psychosocial factors, such as training on recognizing signs of stress, time management skills, and self-care and communication strategies to promote mental health in the workplace.
Another important point is that ISO 45001 emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring of OH&SMS performance, as well as the implementation of corrective and preventive measures when necessary.
Together, the empowerment of people and the encouragement of continuous improvement naturally lead to efforts to promote the physical and mental health of individuals. The standard encourages and enables us to identify problems related to mental health and take more assertive measures to improve working conditions and the lives of people.
Promoting Mental Health in Companies is a Matter of Productivity!
Many organizations have already understood that taking care of people’s health is working to achieve superior results. By effectively implementing ISO 45001, companies work to create a safe, healthy environment that promotes the mental health of their employees. All of this, in turn, can lead to greater job satisfaction, which supports productivity and talent retention.
How many of us have had our work impacted by psychosocial issues that could have been avoided? And the results were a reduction in performance, canceled projects, delayed deliveries, and a lot of headaches. In other words: loss for the companies!
From the human point of view, encouraging and promoting mental health is an ethical and responsible stance, something that creates companies that focus on encouraging resilience, empathy, and interpersonal support, in addition to providing access to mental health resources and services. This also creates a positive view of the company in the market, increasing its recognition and generating more value for shareholders, society, and other interested parties.
Moreover, by normalizing the conversation about mental health and offering appropriate support, we can help reduce the stigma around mental illnesses, encouraging people to seek help when necessary and to feel comfortable sharing their experiences. The most obvious conclusion, therefore, is that we create the famous win-win situation, meaning all interested parties benefit!
