Caring Management: the keys to positive mental health in the workplace

“Mental health is the key to a healthy and productive work environment. Investing in your employees’ well-being is investing in your company’s future.” – Arianna Huffington.

Caring management: a strategic lever for mental health in the workplace

Mental health in the workplace has become of paramount importance to many companies. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go before we truly understand and recognize its impact, and adopt concrete measures to promote employee well-being.

Constant stress, harmful management, burnout or lack of managerial presence: these factors can seriously affect team productivity and commitment.

This article will focus on two major aspects: the impact of management on mental health and the healthy work-life balance of employees.

But before we get to that, let’s demonstrate the impact of mental health when it’s not taken into consideration:

1. Key performance indicators for caring management

The impact of caring leadership on productivity

Good mental health is closely associated with increased productivity. Employees who enjoy optimal psychological well-being are generally more engaged, motivated and focused in their work. This positive dynamic is reinforced by collective intelligence, a real catalyst for sustainable transformation within organizations.

• Lost productivity due to mental health problems in the workplace is estimated at between 2% and 4% of global GDP*, representing a significant cost for companies.
• In France, mental health problems in the workplace are estimated to cost between 10 and 15 billion euros a year* (source: Institut national de recherche et de sécurité, INRS).

The impact of caring leadership on productivity

Mental health problems can lead to prolonged absences and high turnover, generating additional costs for the company in terms of recruitment and training.

• Mental disorders are responsible for 50% of long-term work stoppages** and represent one of the main causes of absenteeism.
• People suffering from stress at work are 50% more likely to leave their jobs within two years, resulting in a significant turnover cost for companies.

2. Caring management and work-life balance: best practices

With the advent of telecommuting and rising productivity expectations, maintaining a work-life balance is more difficult than ever. Yet this balance is essential to ensure not only mental health, but also employee engagement and performance.

A key factor in employee well-being

Overwork and the inability to “switch off” from work can lead to high levels of stress and anxiety. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has highlighted that “people who are unable to manage the boundaries between work and private life are more likely to suffer from psychological disorders”. An employee who is constantly called upon outside working hours risks losing motivation and creativity, leading to a vicious circle of reduced performance.

The benefits of a healthy balance

When employees are able to maintain a healthy balance, they are happier, more productive, and less likely to suffer from stress-related disorders. “A company that promotes its employees’ well-being and life balance acquires an undeniable competitive advantage,” says leadership expert Simon Sinek. This approach is part of a broader vision of CSR applied to human resources, where caring management becomes a strategic performance lever. By encouraging a flexible environment, where employees can reconcile their personal and professional obligations, companies reduce the risk of burnout.

Team support strategies

To establish a healthy balance, companies need to put in place clear policies on working hours, managing e-mails outside office hours, and offering flexible solutions such as telecommuting or flexitime. Encouraging regular breaks and taking time off are also concrete ways of maintaining good mental health at work. The idea is not just to enable employees to “survive” their work, but to truly flourish.

3. From toxic management to caring leadership: stages of transformation

Ambiguous management is characterized by indirect communication, resistance to authority or demands without open confrontation, and sometimes manipulative behavior. This management style can have disastrous consequences for employees’ mental health.

Impact on productivity and morale

Ambiguous management creates an atmosphere of mistrust and confusion. Employees can feel isolated and demotivated, unable to know whether they are doing their job properly. According to a Harvard Business Review study, “ambiguous management is one of the most toxic managerial attitudes, as it gradually undermines trust within teams.” Lack of clear communication can generate anxiety and stress in employees, who find themselves constantly on the defensive.

Risk of burnout

When employees have to constantly navigate an environment of non-verbalized tensions, they end up accumulating a significant mental load.

Burnout, a professional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, is often a direct consequence of this dynamic. “Employees’ mental health is affected by the quality of interpersonal relations at work,” stresses Dr. Marie-Claude Francoeur, a specialist in work psychology.

How do you deal with ambiguous management?

For employees and managers alike, the first step is to recognize these behaviors and encourage more direct, open communication. Creating an environment where constructive feedback is valued is essential to restoring trust and reducing tensions. Companies need to offer resources for managing conflict, and train managers in assertive, caring communication.

Conclusion: mental health, a shared responsibility

Mental health in the workplace should not be relegated to the background. It is an essential pillar in ensuring a healthy and productive work environment. Leaders have a responsibility to identify and prevent toxic behavior, particularly on the part of managers, and to promote practices that respect work-life balance. By integrating these best practices, companies can not only improve their employees’ quality of life, but also boost their overall performance.

SQORUS, a recognized expert and pioneer in human resources, supports its customers in the development and implementation of good leadership practices designed to enhance the well-being and effectiveness of their teams.

Thanks to a tailor-made approach, the firm helps companies and organizations to define and implement policies that promote a harmonious work-life balance, thus contributing to a better quality of life at work and sustainable performance.

As Arianna Huffington, founder of Thrive Global, points out: “We need to redefine success beyond money and power, to include well-being, wisdom and the ability to thrive.”