20.07.2020 Sabrina Ludwig 9974

Psyche and work: what managers can do

When employees are mentally ill, their behavior often changes. In this interview, Dr. Udo Wortelboer, a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy, explains what managers can do in such cases.

Dr. Wortelboer, sick leave due to mental disorders has been on the rise for years. Burnout is an ongoing issue. How do you explain this?

Dr. Udo Wortelboer: That's an interesting point. Epidemiological studies show that the incidence of mental disorders has not increased at all in real terms. I believe that the burnout issue was a long overdue "door opener" that increased the perception and acceptance that people can also suffer from mental illness. Burnout in itself is too one-dimensional. Ultimately, not only the world of work but also private life has changed considerably in the last ten to 20 years.

How is this to be understood?

Work intensification, digitalization and agile working are just a few facets of our professional lives that mean we are constantly available and much more stressed. In our private lives, too, we are now available around the clock, and we want to be. For friends and children, for example, or because we look after our parents in need of care and want them to be able to contact us if they need anything. Both together - constant availability at work and in our private lives - can quickly lead to us constantly living on the edge of our resilience.

On the one hand, the job presses, on the other, family obligations. Is there any way to escape this double burden?

The first step is to recognize that you are overwhelmed and have reached a breaking point - or have even exceeded it. If your own personal ways out and solutions fail or are not sufficient for the specific situation, then you need outside help so that you can find new, alternative strategies.

Why should employers urgently address the mental health of their employees?

Our healthcare system offers hardly any preventative services with regard to mental health. However, clinical experience and scientific data show that symptoms of mental disorders often become apparent some time before the actual illness. The length of time before treatment begins is a key factor in the further course of the illness. This means that the earlier a sick person receives treatment, the better their chances of recovery. For employers, in turn, this means that they can reduce absenteeism and prevent their employees from being completely absent through preventive work.

What exactly does preventive work look like?

To put it simply: be aware of changes in your employees and address them directly. Of course, it's a little more complicated than that and not every change is a sign of a mental health crisis. However, with the right timing and the right toolbox of solutions and support options, this can be worked out well.

In other words, if I as a manager suspect that my employee has mental health problems, should I simply talk to him or her about it?

No, not directly. The point here is not to make your own diagnoses, but to address changes in behavior - socially, emotionally or in terms of quality of work. If the suspicion arises that a mental health crisis is brewing, then solutions can be found.

But how can this actually work in everyday working life?

Many companies offer their employees seminars and workshops on topics such as relaxation, time management, resilience and mindfulness through their company health management . Among other things, the workshops teach content and techniques that can help employees deal better with personal stress situations and rethink their own patterns of action and thought.

When it comes to offering employees support for very individual stresses and strains, services such as life coaching are ideal, offering personal advice or coaching for professional and private problems - also in the form of a 24-hour hotline to provide immediate help in acute stress situations. 

Why should companies do this?

Low-threshold, preventative services are only available to a very limited extent in the area of health and pension insurance. Treatment always requires a diagnosis, i.e. a medical condition. In addition, the range of psychiatric-psychotherapeutic treatment options is very confusing. The question of suitable and quickly available treatment is not easy to answer. Offers and interventions prior to a manifest illness can close this gap and also reduce the likelihood of longer periods of absence. This results in a win-win situation for employees and the company.

Dr. Udo Wortelboer, Specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy, worked in a managerial role in a clinic for psychiatry and psychotherapy until 2017. Since 2015, he has been working intensively on the topic of mental health in the world of work.

Today, he works as a consultant in an occupational health center and for pme Familienservie.

pme Familienservice - Your Work:Life pioneer since 1991

On behalf of more than 900 employers, the pme Familienservice Group supports employees in achieving a successful work-life balance and being able to work with a clear head.

You can find out more about the pme Familienservice Group here: www.familienservice.de/wer-wir-sind