Almost every Ukrainian employer recognizes the importance of employees’ mental health, but not all of them act systematically to support their teams. A new survey conducted by the Ukrainian Psychotherapeutic League in cooperation with HURMA System and the European Business Association covered more than 120 companies of various sizes and industries to find out how they support the psychological well-being of their employees.
The survey was conducted using questionnaires and in-depth interviews with HR professionals and managers of organizations ranging from NGOs and consulting companies to pharmaceutical production and retailers. This approach made it possible to see the situation from two polar sides – from the side of change initiators and key decision makers.
The results are thought-provoking:
98% of employers are aware of the importance of mental health, but only 68% of them are implementing appropriate measures.
The main barriers to systematic care for the psycho-emotional state of teams in every fifth company are budget shortages and lack of support from owners.
The most popular tools are educational events, professional psychological assistance, creating a supportive atmosphere, and measures to maintain work-life balance.
In 51% of companies, employees can get psychological help from both internal psychologists and external specialists.
About 70% of organizations have adapted their support programs since the outbreak of war, focusing on stress resistance, burnout and the development of self-regulation skills.
“The survey has shown that most Ukrainian companies understand the importance of caring for the well-being of employees and are ready to invest in this process. But so far, they are implementing tools and measures on a spotty, ad hoc basis, and therefore cannot fully assess their effectiveness. In order to increase productivity and have a motivated team, comprehensive actions are needed: monitoring the emotional state of employees, preventive and edutainment measures, formalizing procedures and implementing them in all business processes. And only then – psychological counseling,” explains Khrystyna Kudriavtseva, the initiator of the survey, vice president of the Ukrainian Psychotherapeutic League, founder of the mental health service Mozhna.space.
This survey shows the real picture of how Ukrainian businesses are responding to new challenges in the area of mental health of their teams.
Companies still have a long way to go to create a healthy work environment and implement comprehensive policies, but they are already taking the first steps in the right direction.
More details and detailed findings of the survey can be found in the full version of the report.
