An emerging position in companies a few years ago was that of ‘Wellness Manager’ (which we could find under other names, or combined with other attributions such as Responsible for Occupational Health) but it has grown like foam from which Covid became another protagonist of our lives.
If until that moment in many companies the control of the employee’s health was limited to an annual medical examination, and in the most advanced ones to programs that promoted a healthy life stylein the new wellness areas the range is much more ambitious and includes the mental health. But would you be calm following a therapy with a company or professional hired by your company? Well, it seems that, although we take for granted the professionalism of the therapist and his respect for professional secrecy, in Spain it continues to cost us take the step of going down to the psychologist of your company like the one who goes down to the medical service for another pathology.
Other countries where going to the company psychologist is normal
Sunday Sanchez is Wellness Manager for Aon’s Inspiring Benefits Area, which offers a physical and mental health program to other companies. He tells us that in those that have already implemented it, the use of the mental health part hardly reaches 2%, despite the fact that it had been one of the most demanded and that it is a free service for the employee. However, this specialist who knows other markets assures that in the United States the use by employees of mental health care services reaches 70%. “In Spain, the psychologist continues to cost us a lot, it’s a shame, because then it’s something with which users express great satisfaction.” Sánchez points out that sometimes it is better to call it ‘coach’ because that way the user perceives it with a better predisposition.
Under the name “A therapist at Fujitsu” this Japanese technology company has just implemented its emotional well-being service for employees and their families in Spain. Precisely the idea arose from a survey of employees where they were asked about their interests to implement new benefits for the employee. “We were aware of the reluctance that the employee could generate in providing certain information, so we were clear that it had to be through a third party, in our case the Salud y Persona Foundation,” he explains. Virginia Cuevasdirector of internal transformation.
“We knew that communicating it correctly was essential. That is why we planned a careful communication plan through our channels,” says the director. “We also invited the General Director of the Fundación Salud y Persona, Joan Piñol, so that he could explain the service, its confidentiality and eliminate possible prejudices. After the session, we have only received congratulations through our internal communication channels for the service”. In this company, the system has been running for two weeks, so they still cannot assess the ratio of employees who take the step of using the service.
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