Employer responsible for burnout and stress

Cash bosses see employers' complicity in the rise in mental illness

09/08/2014

The increased occurrence of mental health problems such as burnout or depression among workers is also attributable to employer misconduct, according to several health insurance chiefs. The latter would give their employees too few rest breaks and thus accelerate the development of mental health problems, is the reproach of the CEO of Barmer GEK, the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) and the Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH) in conversation with the „World on Sunday“.

In terms of health care in the companies, it is necessary in the opinion of the treasurer boss, the stress caused by the long-term accessibility significantly. „The changes in our working world, for example, through the use of smartphones and the associated constant accessibility lead to more and more stress“, explained Christoph Straub, CEO of Barmer GEK „World Online“. According to the experts, this stress is a major cause of the massive increase in mental health problems among employees. According to the Chairman of the Management Board of Barmer GEK, TK and KKH, legal regulations regarding the strict observance of rest periods must also be considered here.

Rethinking of employers demanded
For example, Christoph Straub said it should „nobody must always be reachable“ and here a law can protect the health of employees by setting clear standards against permanent stress.“ Previously, companies would neglect their responsibility for employees at this point. In fact, most employers are more likely to be pleased than annoyed when co-workers check their emails after hours. In the long term, however, this can be a disadvantage if employees lose their jobs due to mental health problems. The chairman of the KKH, Ingo Kailuweit, sees here "the companies in the duty, in order to prepare their coworkers purposefully for a compatible handling with the increasing stress". The TK boss Jens Baas added: „Here, most employers have to rethink.“ Increased investment in occupational health management is required, with „every euro invested well“ is, so Baas.

Federal Health Minister calls for improved prevention
The demands of the health insurance funds are also supported by the Federal Minister of Health Hermann Gröhe (CDU). The minister told „World Online“, that good prevention programs could help, „that diseases such as burnout or physical ailments as a result of occupational stress do not even arise.“ After all, it must be in the company's own interest to promote the health and satisfaction of its employees. „Companies that recognize this ultimately increase their competitiveness“, Gröhe told the news magazine.

Risks of permanent availability
At the beginning of the month, the German Society for Occupational Medicine and Environmental Medicine (DGAUM) also pointed out the risks of permanent availability in the working and living environment. „Nothing has changed our everyday life so decisively in the last 20 years as the new communication media“, reported the DGAUM. So be the „Permanent accessibility and thus unfortunately also permanent availability has become a matter of course for many people.“ But that's it „not always just the employers who demand this accessibility“, the professional society continues. Many workers want „always and at all times follow all developments in the professional, but also private environment“, reports the DGAUM. So far, however, an assessment of the associated health risks is quite difficult, as there are currently no long-term studies on this topic. In terms of prevention, there are already aspirations at the political level „Anti-stress Regulation“ to regulate the availability of employees, according to the DGAUM. (Fp)