Prevention is Better Than Staying Home

More and more organizations are using a corporate psychologist, reports nu.nl. According to figures from occupational health service ArboNed, nearly a third of sick leave in the Netherlands is caused by mental health issues such as burnout and anxiety disorders. While this is concerning, there are also positive aspects. You could even call it good news. Why? We'll explain. meldt nu.nl. Volgens cijfers van arbodienst ArboNed wordt bijna een derde van het verzuim in Nederland veroorzaakt door psychische klachten, zoals burn-outs en angststoornissen. Dat klinkt zorgwekkend, maar het heeft ook positieve kanten. Je zou het zelfs goed nieuws kunnen noemen. Waarom? Gaan we uitleggen.

Mental Health Issues Out of the Taboo Zone

Why the demand for corporate psychologists has increased is still not fully understood. More research would be needed to confirm this. However, with educated guessing (and experience in this field), you can get quite far. 

Buddy is part of Akerendam, which has been around since 1989. Over the years, we’ve seen how psychology has moved out of the taboo zone. Today, there is no longer any shame in seeking help for your mental health from a psychologist. There is also much more societal attention for mental health issues than in the past. Akerendam, dat al sinds 1989 bestaat. In de loop der jaren hebben wij gemerkt hoe de psychologie uit de taboesfeer kwam. Je hoeft je vandaag de dag niet meer te schamen om voor je mentale gezondheid de hulp van een psycholoog in te roepen. Veel meer dan vroeger is er ook maatschappelijke aandacht voor psychische problematiek. 

Additionally, there are various factors in today’s world that contribute to increased mental stress. We live in unsettled times. Wars, climate change, and polarization create a gloomier outlook for the future. The uncertainty sparked by the pandemic has left its mark. We’re dealing with social media imposing a particular idea of what a successful life is. All of these factors impact our home life, the workplace, and our mental health, which in turn affects our professional performance.

“Nearly a third of sick leave in the Netherlands is caused by mental health issues, but with the right approach, corporate psychologists can help prevent problems and increase work happiness.”

Prevention is Better than Cure

In a way, it’s good news that more and more organizations are hiring a corporate psychologist: they are valuing the mental health of their employees. However, when a corporate psychologist is brought in, the damage has often already been done. People usually reach out too late when dealing with mental health issues. The result is that employees end up staying at home. The earlier you address it, the less time it takes to recover. But ideally, you prevent it altogether.

Daarom adviseren wij om ook als er nog niets aan de hand is (of niets aan de hand lijktThat’s why we recommend thinking about your employees’ mental health even when there seems to be nothing wrong. Under the surface, there may already be issues. Societal unrest, home life, workplace dynamics—all of this impacts a person’s ability to function. Therefore, ensure that there is an accessible way to talk about it. With someone who can recognize problems before they arise. Someone who can interpret what’s going on and knows what steps to take to prevent things from worsening.

Specialists in Work Happiness

With the right knowledge and approach, a professional coach can help employees feel better or take new career steps, thus increasing their work happiness. Would you like to know more about this? Increasing work happiness is, by the way, our specialty.

Questions about this topic? Contact us.