MENTAL WELLBEING IN SMEs

"<< Background >>A substantial body of evidence suggests that work related risks can negatively affect mental health, and that this has a large impact both on productivity and society as a whole. Promoting mental health and wellbeing in the workspace is a vital response to these challenges, as the workplace is both a major factor in the development of mental and physical health problems but also a platform for the introduction and development of appropriate preventive measures. Specifically, this project has focused on the needs of SME’s in relation to preventive measures for Mental Health and Wellbeing. Occupational epidemiologists have suggested that SMEs need ""special attention because their knowledge, competence and financial resources to carry out interventions are limited and strategies that are routinely employed by larger organizations are difficult to implement and are infrequently adopted by SMEs. Therefore, this project wanted to ensure that easily implementable and easily understandable material is readily available for SME’s to implement, considering the limitations that SME’s often face. << Objectives >>We wanted to ensure that we responded to the needs of employees and managers/owners of SMEs, and the challenges they face, regarding the implementation of measures supporting mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Mental health and wellbeing challenges in the workplace is an issue that is growing, and SMEs are often hit harder. Thus is both due to the fact that these companies often contains fewer people than larger organisations, so when one of colleague is affected by mental health and wellbeing distress, the entire company often face challenges, but also due to the fact that there is often few resources available to tackle mental health and wellbeing issues and prevention. This project thus set out to design and make available resources, tools and strategies to prevent and contract work-related stress and negative mental health and wellbeing impacts of working conditions. focused on SMEs. The tools are made to be easily implementable, and the resources are freely available, to ensure the optimal uptake, and ease of implementation by SMEs, again considering the challenges they face regarding ressources and time. << Implementation >>The activities was implemented during this project, has been focused towards creating a set of ressources to complement and support SME owners, line manager and employees, to better be able to tackle, prevent and support better mental health and wellbeing in their workplace, and to better be able to collaborate on issues pertaining to mental health and wellbeing, through information, education andimplementation. The activities corresponds to the project results outlined in the project proposal, namely the creation of: - A publicly available and multilingual database, that provides a searchable repository of practises, policies and lessons learned, in relation to the effective promotion of mental health and wellbeing in the workspace- An online course / learning programme - Improving well-being in Small Medium Enterprises: insights and strategies - was created in the project. Learning programme is a self-directed e-learning course aimed at employees, managers, HR professionals and owners of SMEs- an audio-visual compilation presenting a series of interviews conducted with experts and owners of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from different countries. These interviews offer insight into the signs of poor mental health that can occur within organisations and provide practical guidance on how to address and promote psychological well-being among employees. - a methodological framework targeted at SMEs on how to establish networks that focus on mental health in the workplace. This was achieved through a collective effort from all partners who conducted desk research, using tools such as a matrix where partners examined relevant initiatives and examples in their respective countries and reported them in a matrix table, to serve as inspiration for the development of the methodological framework. Additionally, co-productive sessions were carried out by all partnersBesides the project results, dissemination efforts were conducted, in order to share the results of the project, and to garner attention towards the important topic of mental health in the workplace. Namely, all partners (except ENALMH) carried out successful Multiplier events, with a diverse group of stakeholders, to further disseminate the projects results and focus, and to look for potential avenues of collaboration. Besides the Multiplier events, several different dissemination activities was carried out: The dissemination efforts combined traditional methods, such as leaflets and press releases, with innovative approaches to engage a broad range of stakeholders. Partners were encouraged to utilize social media platforms, including facebook and Instagram, to promote the project's aims, key messages, and outcomes and events with the goal of maximizing visibility and engagement. Additionally, each partner organization leveraged its existing networks to reach a diverse audience by sharing updates on project activities, success stories, and relevant information on workplace mental health. Through this combination of dissemination methods, information was disseminated through social media posts and through specially organised events in the context of the project, both online and in-person A variety of tools supported these efforts, including:· The project website· Partner websites hosting project materials· Social media channels· Traditional tools, such as leaflets and press releasesAdditionally, a LTTA was planned to be carried out, but was not carried out in the form that was outlined in the proposal. The start of the project was marred by the outbreak of Covid-19, which made in-person gatherings and meetings challenging to carry out. Therefore the activities described in the LTTA were carried out during the first consortium meeting in Modena instead of being a separate activity requiring travel for partners. This decision was made to ensure that all the activities of the LTTA were carried out, without the need of a separate travel activity, given the difficulties caused by Corona during the start of the project. This also entails that no cost will be induced for the LTTA. Additionally the consortium also considered the best green practices, and the guidelines of the European Union, by having one less in-person meeting during the project. Additionally, several activities, focused on the proper management and implementation of the project, have been carried out. such as: Project Management and Quality Activities (PMQ plan and partnership agreements, training on PMQ, transnational project meetings, monthly project meetings, and evaluation efforts) Financial management activities (internal reporting and financial management procedures) Monitoring and evaluation activities (evaluation and quality assurance framework, and regular monitoring and evaluation of project activities and results), and dissemination and exploitation (Dissemination & Exploitation Strategy, Design of internal and external communication templates, Design of information materials, Development of the project website & social media campaign). << Results >>PR1: The main output is the creation of a database DATABASE – WELL@SME which aims to inform and train employees and managers/owners of SMEs to prevent and contrast work-related stress and negative mental health impact of working conditions. It is precisely this objective that the database seeks to address by collecting best practices of workplace interventions concerning health and wellbeing. This tool, in fact, is a publicly available and multilingual database that provides a searchable repository of practices, policies and lessons learned in relation to effective promotion of mental health in the workplace applied in the context of SMEs.Any user, either owner or employee of a small or medium-sized enterprise, can navigate through this database and search for what they require. The specific objective of this tool is to provide users (mainly HR managers, SME associations, mental health workers, OSH specialists, policy and decision makers) with practical examples complemented by appropriate tools.Furthermore, in terms of impact, the database can be a practically usable resource forprofessionals and policy makers, since it will simplify the process of implementing programmes and initiatives at the local level, as it allows them to build on existing experiences and lessons learnt.The database collects documents such as reports, assessment tools, leaflets, information tools, prevention posters and similar materials, all focusing on the topic of health and well-being at the workplace. All documents were collected by the project partnership on the basis of common criteria and thus offer national as well as International and European insights. The countries in the partnership and consequently involved in the research were Denmark, Italy, Greece, Finland, Portugal, Ireland, Latvia and Belgium, but resources from other countries were also included. The resources included in the database are very wide-ranging as they come from many different sources, however common criteria were selected to guide the partnership’s research. Specifically, the research of materials was based on fundamental resources such as:– Surveys among member states from the EU Compass for Mental Health and Wellbeing;– The thematic report of the Joint Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing on mental health at the workplace;– The 2014 EU report ‘Evaluation of policy and practice to promote mental health in the workplace in Europe’;– The report of the World Health Organization European Office on Policies and Practices for Mental Health in Europe. Meeting the challenges;– The 2017 EU report on ‘Physical activity at the workplace’;– Reports produced by the World Health Organization on mental health and occupational health;– Reports produced by the European Agency for Safety & Health at Work;– Reports produced by the European Foundation for Living & Working Conditions;– Reports produced by the International Labour Organization.- Various additional valuable resources and tools pertaining to mental health in the workplace.This database can easily be transferred into different settings, added to or re-purposed for different health areas. The database can be filtered by multiple parameters, including target audience, country, and type of material. Each resource includes a translated title in English, a brief description, and a direct link for easy access.In addition it provides a at hand resource for people using the e-learning who may want information on detailed strategies and support.PR2An online course / learning programme was created in the project in cooperation with project partners. The WELL@SME learning programme is a self-directed e-learning course aimed at employees, managers, HR professionals and owners of SMEs. There is five modules in the course, each of which was assigned a main responsible partner and another contributory partner. The course was made interactive and inclusive and is thus innovative and contemporary. The course was named as: Improving well-being in Small Medium Enterprises: insights and strategies. The aim of the programme is to help develop and strengthen mental health skills at work. In terms of impact, it is expected that the e-learning will provide an accessible tool for all interested companies, SME managers, directors and owners to start a process of creating a more positive and healthier environment, thus supporting an improvement in job satisfaction, retention and productivity. The e-course ensures a high level of interaction between the user and the materials provided. In addition to theoretical content there is self-assessment tests, downloadable materials, multimedia resources and interactive resources included in the training course.According to the research conducted in preparation of this application, any freely accessible e-learning course aimed to improve mental well-being in the workplace was found. This course is therefore innovative. The e-learning will offer an accessible tool for any interested company / employees to start a process to create a more positive and healthier environment, thus supporting an improvement in job satisfaction, retention and productivity. That is why the course´s impact is high. The course has been made accessible and easy to use in companies. That is why it is possible to include it in the everyday life of companies on both an individual and community level. The contents of the course have been carefully thought out to meet the needs of small and medium-sized companies. Therefore its impact is good. The contents of the course can be easily transferred to the everyday life of individuals and work communities. It is also easily transferable and expandable to include more modules / languages / areas of intervention.Within the course there are a number of references and activities that can be implemented in different work contexts. Some content can be shared with employees. The course can be used as a way of identifying additional support needs. Contents can be selected, adapted and deepened to address employees needs and increase their awareness and wellbeing.The e-learning was translated in English, Danish, Finnish, Greek, Italian, Latvian and Portuguese and consists of the following modules:Stress and coping stylesHow work affects stress and how to help it with work managementManaging stress by lifestyle choicesMentally Healthy work environment – EmployeesMentally Healthy Work Environment – Employers/Managers Deviating from the plan, module 4B was numbered 5, but the content of the module remained as planned.The course was complemented by piloting and two face-to-face sessions: Face-to-face sessions included 2 parts: Introductory session: which was focused on explaining the goals of the intervention, the expected outcomes and the functioning of the e-learning platform and Follow up session: which was focused on involving employees and managers in co-designing strategies to implement actions to improve mental well-being in their specific working context. The intervention was piloted in each country with at least 10 participants. The piloting was monitored and assessed. Based on feedback from the pilot group, the course was fine-tuned before the final release.PR3In collaboration with organization ANS, EDRA took the lead on developing and executing the resource as part of this PR effort, with ANS providing essential technical support. While EDRA led the overall process of coordinating and developing content with all partners, ANS, leveraging their specialized technical expertise, contributed extensively to establishing best practices for recording and editing the podcast and video content. ANS’s guidance, while unofficially assuming a technical leadership role, enabled smoother preparation and production workflows, ensuring the technical quality of each episode.ANS covered the role of coordinating partners for the technical part of the implementation of the ‘Well@SME’ podcast and video series. This is an innovative initiative aimed at offering useful resources to small and medium enterprise (SME) owners in order to support them to identify signs of poor mental health and how to deal with them. The aim was to provide practical advice and tips through a series of eight episodes, each addressing a specific topic and lasting five to ten minutes, curated by different partners, thus allowing the specific experience of each stakeholder to be utilised.ANS provided precise guidelines for the video-audio collection, editing and took care of the publication of the content. In particular, the development process was divided into different and specific steps: preparation of the recording with technical specifications, recording and transcription of the content, final editing of the video and podcast and, finally, uploading the resources onto dissemination platforms such as YouTube. This collaborative approach ensured that all partners and stakeholders from the national context were actively involved, ensuring consistency in quality and content.The ‘Well@SME’ podcast series addressed a topic of great social relevance in an accessible and undemanding way. It deals with the sensitive topic of mental health in a work context, dividing the topics in such a way as to cover crucial aspects such as signs of distress, the importance of support and networking, as well as tips for creating mentally healthy work environments.Within the common framework, each partner had the flexibility to choose the presentation format-audio or video podcast-according to their expertise, and it was agreed to maintain a constant dialogue between the group members to avoid overlapping in content. Through this, the objective was achieved to raise awareness among SME owners on the importance of mental health, but also to provide practical tools to deal with possible problems, thus contributing to improving the overall well-being in the SME working environment.PR4: For project result 4, the consortium developed a methodological framework targeted at SMEs on how to establish networks that focus on mental health in the workplace. This was achieved through a collective effort from all partners who conducted desk research, using tools such as a matrix where partners examined relevant initiatives and examples in their respective countries and reported them in a matrix table, to serve as inspiration for the development of the methodological framework. Additionally, co-productive sessions were carried out by all partners. For these co-productive sessions, partners gathered national stakeholders to discuss the creation of networks concerned with mental health in the workplace and how to approach it. In total, more than 150 individuals participated in the co-productive sessions, being either stakeholders or employers/employees in SMEs. The methodological framework is nine pages long and consists of the following chapters:1: Involve key stakeholders2: Train Ambassadors3: Build an assessment/incentive mechanism, and ensure a feedback/regulation mechanism4: Describe a structure with governance mechanisms5: Build a communications platform6: Create an awareness campaign7: Connect with existing entities8: Initiate research and/or data collection. Each chapter presents important aspects or steps to building a network. It also includes examples from different European countries in each chapter. In terms of innovation, the methodological framework provides an innovative approach to mental health in the workplace on a European scale. Establishing a network dedicated to mental health in the workplace that consists of SMEs, relevant stakeholders etc. can contribute with new ways in which we think about mental health in the workplace and improve the conditions of employees in the partner countries and in the rest of Europe. As the leader of this PR, DCHE got inspiration from an existing Danish network on mental health in the workplace, Sammen om Mental Sundhed, which consists of over 50 employer- and employee organisations and companies. Gaining insights from their network, contributed to the development of this methodological framework which has the potential to impact how we perceive mental health in the workplace in an innovative manner. The guide was developed in English and translated into the partner languages afterwards: Greek, Finnish, Latvian, Portuguese, Italian and Danish. The fact that the methodological framework is available in seven languages contributes to the transferability of it. Moreover, due to the fre–access principle of the Erasmus+ programme, the framework is accessible to all European citizens. This means that SMEs all over Europe can use the methodological framework for inspiration or as a starting point for establishing their own network concerned with mental health in the workplace."