Sweden’s Social Partners’ Council has announced that it is offering mental health training to around 270,000 public sector/government staff affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Stress is currently the biggest cause of long-term absence among government employees in Sweden; and since the Covid-19 pandemic has elevated the situation further, the country is taking action to support mental health initiatives.
ALLEVIATING PUBLIC SECTOR STRESS
“In facing this pandemic, our government employees are more important than ever and it is crucial that they stay healthy; both physically and mentally. Given recent developments, this launch could not have come at a better time and the pure scalability of this programme will enable us to make a big difference in the public sector,” commented Emilia Liljefrost, Head of the Social Partners’ Council.
The training programme gives government employees access to evidence-based tools for stress reduction, allowing participants to conduct individual and group exercises, such as meditation and conversations, in a digital environment. The programme, developed in partnership with non-profit 29k Foundation, is part of a comprehensive nationwide approach to protecting and promoting a sustainable work-life. The Social Partners’ Council will roll out the initiative to its 247 member state authorities.
“Research shows that digital interventions can be very effective in treating elevated stress levels and sharing that experience with others has great benefits. For that reason, we have developed a programme that gives access to a variety of tools, including digital video meetings with small groups of colleagues, which also help participants to cope with the social isolation of the pandemic,” stated Erik Fernholm, CEO of the 29k Foundation.
In fact, around 80% of organisations worldwide admit that employee mental health has been negatively impacted by 2020 events. Click here to read more.
Sign up for our newsletter
