Workplace Mental Health
Workplace mental health, which includes psychosocial risks, is a good example of an occupational safety and health (OSH) concern that can be multifactorial, impacted by both work and non-work contributory factors.
It is important to remember that both employers and employees have a shared responsibility under the EU OSH Framework Directive to achieve improvements in OSH conditions. Consequently, efforts to improve OSH standards should not solely rest with the employer, but also with the individual.
The new world of work, caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, has brought about root and branch changes. Many of these changes have been positive, such as the development of remote work and telework in occupations where it is applicable, which has facilitated the newly found possibility of better reconciling work and personal life. However, we must be cognisant of the added challenges, for example for managers in managing employees at distance. In this context, either at company or sector level, social partners are best placed to reach tailored solutions on telework and remote work.
The MET employers’ position on workplace mental health is discussed in our recently adopted position paper under the following four headings: the EU Framework Directive caters for all workplace OSH risks, we need a holistic approach to psychosocial risks, the impact of multifactorial factors outside the employers’ control and the causes of psychosocial risks.
Read more about the MET industries’ views on psychosocial risks in our position paper linked on this side of this page.
EU-OSHA Campaign on Healthy Workplaces
Employers are fully committed to providing safe working conditions and protect their employees from harm. Not only is it morally the right thing to do, but it also represents good business. As non-work factors have impact on an individual’s capacity to work and their health and safety, also employees have the responsibility for improvements in occupational health and safety conditions from individual lifestyle choices and activities taken outside of work.
“Ceemet assists manufacturers in their aim to create healthier workplaces for their employees.”
#EUHealthyWorkplaces
Ceemet is a partner of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. They organise the Healthy Workplaces campaigns that run for two years and is dedicated to one issue improving health at work. Where the last campaign was dedicated to the management of dangerous substances, the current one focuses on raising awareness about work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and how to tackle them.
The ‘Healthy Workplaces Lighten the Load’ campaign is organised into several priority areas, which are promoted using special communication and promotion packs throughout the campaign. Each area covers a specific topic related to MSDs. A range of materials, including reports, infosheets, infographics and case studies, are released every three to four months to maintain the campaign’s momentum.
From 2020 until 2022 Ceemet is an offical campaign partner of the ‘Healthy Workplaces Lighten the Road’ campaign.
Campaign pledge
Ceemet is committed to working with all stakeholders to highlight the need for effective methods of managing MSDs at the workplace. Furthermore, through our membership, we intend to continue to raise awareness of this pertinent issue both at a national level and at a company level.
“European Tech & Industry Employers are committed to tackling MSDs at the workplace. We hope the sharing of, and learning from, concrete examples during this campaign will feature the best practices used in industry.” – Delphine Rudelli, Ceemet Director General