Navigating Change: Mental Health Strategies for Individuals, Groups and Organizations

In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, organisational changes are inevitable, and their impact on mental health cannot be overlooked. Many organisations are recognising the importance of mental health issues in the workplace. Changes in organisations can occur at both individual and group levels, directly affecting workers’ mental health. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many organisations underwent significant changes to adapt, but some struggled, leading to mental health issues among their workers. 

So, what exactly is organisational change? From a broader perspective, change refers to a system of continuous transformation in one or more organisational domains, such as technology, structure, and human resources. Change often originates from discrepancies noticed in the dynamic environment, leading to activities that improve the capabilities of individuals and groups within organisations. 

According to Kelloway (2017), comprehensive workplace programming should be based on three pillars: prevention, intervention, and accommodation. Workplace conditions can contribute to or exacerbate mental health issues, which in turn manifest in the workplace. This highlights the costs associated with mental health issues in organisations and supports an approach based on Kelloway’s model. 

The three pillars model developed by Kelloway emphasises the importance of helping individuals in crisis (e.g., through Employee Assistance Programs, or EAPs) and recognises that organisations play a key role in preventing or mitigating workplace factors contributing to mental ill health. 

Prevention: Organisations typically focus on reducing job stressors or enhancing job resources to promote a healthy workplace. This can be achieved by changing the environment (e.g., redesigning jobs, establishing social support mechanisms, or conflict management programs) or by providing individuals with new skills to manage workplace stressors (e.g., supportive leadership training, relaxation training). Strategies can affect the entire organisation or focus on individual interventions to help workers cope with stress and promote well-being. 

Intervention: This level consists of training and development activities aimed at increasing understanding of mental health issues and reducing stigma. Training in mental health literacy helps workers recognise mental health issues and access appropriate resources. Evidence shows that participation in such training increases knowledge about mental health, which is relevant for reducing organisational costs like absenteeism and presenteeism. 

Accommodation: This pillar provides return-to-work provisions, recognising that problems may arise outside the workplace but still manifest there. Workplaces should include provisions for return-to-work and stay-at-work accommodations to ensure a fast and sustainable return, minimising financial and psychosocial costs of extended leave. However, there has been little focus on relapse prevention or sustainability compared to the goal of an early return to work. Encouraging a return to work with the certainty that the individual is ready is crucial, as premature returns can lead to greater disruption and costs. 

Stay-at-work accommodations for mental health issues include five categories: 

•  Scheduling flexibility (e.g., slower pace, flexible work schedules) 

•  Modified job descriptions (e.g., work-from-home arrangements, reduced or modified tasks) 

•  Redesign of physical space 

•  Communication facilitation (e.g., coaching, additional supervision)  

•  Other (e.g., transportation) 

Of these categories, communication facilitation and scheduling flexibility are the most common. 

In conclusion, organisations undergoing changes may be more susceptible to mental health problems, making it essential to address this issue. While the risk of mental health problems exists in all organisations, it is particularly relevant in contexts of organisational change.  

References 

Aravopoulou, E. (2016). Organisational change: A conceptual and theoretical review. Modern Management Systems, 10(0), 19-32. 

Bamberger, S. G., Vinding, A. L., Larsen, A., Nielsen, P., Fonager, K., Nielsen, R. N., … & Omland, Ø. (2012). Impact of organisational change on mental health: a systematic review. Occupational and environmental medicine, 69(8), 592-598. 

 McDowell, C and Fossey, E. (2015). Workplace accommodations for people with mental illness: a scoping review. J. Occup. Rehabil. 25(1):197–206 

Kelloway, E. K., Dimoff, J. K., & Gilbert, S. (2023). Mental health in the workplace. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10(1), 363-387. 

Kelloway, E. K. (2017). Mental health in the workplace: Towards evidence-based practice. Canadian Psychology/psychologie canadienne, 58(1), 1-6 

Odor, H. O. (2018). Organisational change and development. European Journal of Business and Management, 10(7), 58-66. 

Zafar, N et al. (2019). A systematic review of work accommodations for people with mental disorders. Work 64(3):461–75