The figures are worrying: a quarter of employees say their mental health is poor, and psychological disorders are the main cause of long-term sick leave. “Companies have been hit hard by people’s deteriorating mental health, and this problem is likely to increase, especially among the younger generation. warns Angèle Malâtre-Lansac, general delegate of the Alliance for Mental Health, which brings together more than 3,000 actors in the sector.
It must be said that in the world of work, mental health problems are still too rarely addressed. Often considered related to the personal realm, it is considered to be contrary to the values that the company should embody: performance, strength, availability… However, the world of work contains many psychological risks. Certain professions are particularly affected, particularly in hospitality, catering and medico-social careers (a third of doctors and nurses suffer from depression in Europe). But no sector has gone unnoticed: in France, millions of people, whether in precarious conditions or not, are weakened by poor management practices (management there is mainly vertical), by the incessant transformation, sources of stress, or even by a sense of loss of meaning due to the social and ecological crisis.
“There is an urgent need for action», summarizes Sophie Thiery, president of the Cese Commission for Work and Employment. And first of all, inform: from November 19 to 21, in Paris, three days of debate, sharing and conference open to all, with free access, will bring together health experts, sociologists, HR managers or group directors (an event including Release are partners). On the final day, companies will be invited to sign the “Charter of Commitment to Mental Health at Work”, an initiative of the Mental Health Alliance, which is supported by the government as part of the Great National Cause 2025.
The ambition: to recall the need to voice opinions on these issues (through training, information campaigns and conferences), to integrate them concretely into social dialogue and work organization, but also to create resources capable of supporting employees in difficulty (helplines, “peer help” systems).
The program is very broad and its charter is non-binding, but Angèle Malâtre-Lansac sees it as a first step in creating a movement committed to this major public health problem. “We’re only half way there, judge Laurence Potte-Bonneville, general delegate of the French Mental Health federation, the idea is not to give in to political leaders so that mental health becomes the subject of inter-ministerial public health policy, provided with appropriate resources.”
Currently, these things are sorely lacking. In society, one-third of psychiatrist positions are vacant. And medical-psychological centers (CMPs) are saturated, with waiting times of up to six months. “There are no great goals without great means” warned, last June, the Social Affairs Committee in its information report.
