The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, EU-OSHA, has just published a review of good workplace practices to support mental health in the workplace, authored by a working group led by Professor of Psychology Marianna Virtanen at the University of Eastern Finland. The review gives recommendations and practical guidelines on how mental health and mental health conditions should be addressed in the workplace.
Consisting of several publications that are freely available online, the guidance provided can be applied throughout the European Union, while taking national specificities into account. The guidelines are not binding for the Member States; however, they are recommended to be adopted by all EU countries.
The material offers guidance on, e.g., how to support workers experiencing mental health problems to continue working or return to work. Another recommendation given is that mental health conditions should be addressed in the workplace in the same way as physical health conditions, i.e., from the perspective of occupational safety and health.
Support for mental health is key to workplace well-being
The format of EU-OSHA’s guidance is new. The need for such guidance has been identified in, e.g., the agency’s previous projects addressing working life. Several recent studies have also highlighted the role of mental health and good workplace practices in people’s well-being and sustainable working life.
The review and the recommendations given are not based on research literature alone, but the working group has also examined numerous project reports and compiled good practices from many different sources, including from various research organisations.
The working group had Professor Marianna Virtanen, Professor Kirsi Honkalampi, University Lecturer Petri Karkkola and University Lecturer Maija Korhonen as members, all from the psychology subject at the University of Eastern Finland.
The review and the related materials are available at: https://osha.europa.eu/en/highlights/mental-health-workplace-discover-how-best-practices-can-support-individuals
