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How to ensure citizens mental health in the face of a changing world of work?

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A report, developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) with the European Commission, highlighted that mental health problems affected about 84 million people across the EU in 2018, before the pandemic. Moreover, mental health issues are estimated to cost more than 4% of gross domestic product in the European Union from which 1.6% (€240 billion per year) is linked to indirect costs in the labor market such as absenteeism and ‘presenteeism’ (working while affected). With the existing technological and societal challenges impacting employees and employers daily’ life, citizens mental health is crucial.

1. Rise of mental health problems due to the rapid digitalisation of the workplace

The workplace is constantly changing as a result of technological advances, social progress and evolving demand. This process turned into a forced transition with the pandemic. And the practice of teleworking has taken hold and is now an obvious part of life for many European workers. The proportion of Europeans working regularly from home has risen from 5.4% in 2019 to 13.4% in 2021.

For MEP Estrella Dura Ferrandis the COVID period “marked a before and after in the world of work relations and opened the debate on emotional well-being of workers”. Consequently, teleworking “brought an excess of digital connection and a feeling of social isolation”.

Claudia Marinetti, director of Mental Health Europe, also warned about the risks of overuse of new digital tools (especially artificial intelligence) measuring the productivity of employees and thus threatening their mental balance: "these systems risk to increase stress and can also lead to some illegal surveillance and monitoring of workers. This can really undermine freedom and autonomy of people with, of course, clear consequences on their mental wellbeing”.

2. Ensuring the protection of workers well-being through clear boundaries between professional and private spheres

Instead of threatening workers mental balance, workplaces should be seen “as a safe nest preserving mental health”. This holistic approach shared by Milena Angelova, member (Employers’ Group) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), underlines the collective responsibility of society and especially of companies to protect peoples’ mental health. Especially, when we talk about finding a good balance between professional and private life. Mental health is a continuum according to Claudia Marinetti, and our emotional wellbeing is not only dependent on professional factors as “good mental health begins with the promotion of emotional well-being in all the parts of people’s lives. The workplace is crucial, of course, but also education, culture, the environment, and income stability are very important”. Employment should allow people to flourish in all aspects of life.

According to a survey published by Gallup early 2023, only 21% of employees worldwide say they are really invested in their work. From now on, "the well-being of employees has become the new imperative”. Faced with this paradigm shift, public authorities are taking measures. The European Parliament has been pleading for many years for a holistic consideration of this issue and for a multisectoral response to citizens need to establish clear boundaries between professional and private spheres. MEP Dura-Ferrandis specified the actions done in this field. “In 2021, we asked that the right to disconnect from work outside working hours should be recognized as a right without negative consequences.” Indeed, several countries like France, Portugal or Belgium have enshrined “the right to disconnect” or “the right to rest” in their national law. 

3. Securing household budgets to reduce anxiety

The need to secure the budget of European citizens is essential. In times of inflation, citizen struggle to pay their bills and satisfy their primary needs (as eating or heating home) and this where comes the concept of safety net. Claudia Marinetti and MEP Dura-Ferrandis agreed on saying that this “financial instability, is one of the main factors affecting the mental health of workers”.

MEP Dura-Ferrandis explained that competent European authorities would have their part of responsibility to protect European citizens, especially, by pushing to raise the minimum wage. Indeed, “the minimum income coming from the job or social protection is the minimum to get emotional stability. I think that every person, every people need to have an income to be sure that he/she is not in risk of poverty or social exclusion”.

Milena Angelova emphasized that social dialogue within companies is key to ensure that a minimum number of people are receiving the minimum salary. From a holistic perspective, she also stressed the need for professional growth: “for me, more important is to help people getting the best of their life by unleashing their potential, by unleashing their talent and really be embedded into society and contributing to the society by fulfilling also their needs”.