Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EMPOWER (European platforM to PromOte Wellbeing and HEalth in the woRkplace)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2020-01-01 do 2021-06-30
EMPOWER aims to address enormous burden caused by mental health problems at both, individual and societal level. It is estimated that mental disorders will cost the global economy $16 trillion by 2030. This economic cost is primarily due to early onset of mental illness and lost productivity with an estimated 12 billion working days lost due to mental illness every year. Common mental conditions, such as stress, depression and anxiety, account for about 40% of all cases of occupational diseases, and these conditions are usually treatable and often even preventable. Additionally, stigma and discrimination at the workplace are associated with delayed access to treatment, weakened social support, difficulties in the performance of occupational and social roles, unemployment, and diminished self-esteem.
To promote wellbeing and prevent or treat mental disorders in the workplace, a number of interventions have been developed. These interventions focus on organizations (aiming to reduce the impact of psychosocial stressors at work) or on individuals (aiming to improve coping strategies for work-related stressors or healthy lifestyle habits such as diets and physical activity). However, their overall impact has been moderate at best. Earlier attempts to implement interventions by means of digital technologies showed statistically significant but minimally positive effects in reducing overall mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and stress. Moreover, most interventions focus only on a single mental health condition and neglect comorbidity, particularly in the case of more common mental disorders.
Moreover, the widespread implementation of (cost-) effective interventions faces a number of barriers: 1) Mental health and wellbeing are rarely viewed as priorities by employers; 2) Mental health programmes are usually reactive, driven by staff or experience, and not proactive and preventive; 3) The significance of mental health at the workplace is not appreciated, in part because it is difficult to measure the impact of workplace wellbeing on business performance; 4) Although cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness programmes have been shown good results in addressing psychosocial risk factors and mental disorders, there is little information on multi-modal or system interventions; 5)Stigma against people with mental illness tends to lower participation in interventions.
Due to the fragmented landscape of interventions and related implementation barriers, there is an urgent need for a multi-modal and integrative eHealth platform aimed at reducing mental health problems in the workplace and improving employees’ wellbeing, by compiling the most feasible, brief and cost-effective interventions currently available in Europe.
EMPOWER is especially relevant for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which represent the majority of all enterprises in the EU but have very limited resources. The development and implementation of a multi-modal and integrative eHealth platform should, finally, be guided and supported by close collaboration with stakeholders, including employee and employer organisations, insurance companies, patient associations, and health professionals.
To promote wellbeing and prevent or treat mental disorders in the workplace, a number of interventions have been developed. These interventions focus on organizations (aiming to reduce the impact of psychosocial stressors at work) or on individuals (aiming to improve coping strategies for work-related stressors or healthy lifestyle habits such as diets and physical activity). However, their overall impact has been moderate at best. Earlier attempts to implement interventions by means of digital technologies showed statistically significant but minimally positive effects in reducing overall mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and stress. Moreover, most interventions focus only on a single mental health condition and neglect comorbidity, particularly in the case of more common mental disorders.
Moreover, the widespread implementation of (cost-) effective interventions faces a number of barriers: 1) Mental health and wellbeing are rarely viewed as priorities by employers; 2) Mental health programmes are usually reactive, driven by staff or experience, and not proactive and preventive; 3) The significance of mental health at the workplace is not appreciated, in part because it is difficult to measure the impact of workplace wellbeing on business performance; 4) Although cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness programmes have been shown good results in addressing psychosocial risk factors and mental disorders, there is little information on multi-modal or system interventions; 5)Stigma against people with mental illness tends to lower participation in interventions.
Due to the fragmented landscape of interventions and related implementation barriers, there is an urgent need for a multi-modal and integrative eHealth platform aimed at reducing mental health problems in the workplace and improving employees’ wellbeing, by compiling the most feasible, brief and cost-effective interventions currently available in Europe.
EMPOWER is especially relevant for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which represent the majority of all enterprises in the EU but have very limited resources. The development and implementation of a multi-modal and integrative eHealth platform should, finally, be guided and supported by close collaboration with stakeholders, including employee and employer organisations, insurance companies, patient associations, and health professionals.
The first major development of EMPOWER was the design of the intervention: construction of the different intervention modules, definition of the triage, and design of the materials (questionnaires, folders, text for the eHealth platform, etc) to be used in the assessments, presentation of the study and eHealth intervention platform. We conducted throughout cultural adaptations of this material for the four countries involved (Finland, Poland, Spain and UK) in addition to validate these materials with stakeholders (academics, employer and employee representatives, and occupational health expert or occupational physician).
Secondly, we developed the EMPOWER eHealth platform, and pre-pilot tested with potential users. Additionally, the EMPOWER team conducted other critical tasks such as: 1) Scoping review of intervention strategies focusing on mental health in the workplace; 2) Selection and enrolment of SMEs and public agencies in the control trials in each country; 3) Creation of the participation agreement for the each participating company and public agency; 4) Registration of the EMPOWER trial in the clinical trial registry; 5) Formulation of a dissemination and communication plan for project’s results for the full-four years; 6) Preparation of participant information sheets and informed consent form; 7) Preparation of the study protocol, and approval by Ethic Committees from each site; 8) Preparation of guidelines on data security; and, 9) A series of actions to ensure that all security, legal and ethical aspects of EMPOWER are in line with EU, and each participating country regulations.
Until the submission of this report, no exploitation activity has been conducted. On the other hand, we performed a series of dissemination activities. More specifically, we published contents in different formats (press releases, blogs and videos) at the EMPOWER website (www.empower-project.eu) and social media (Twitter and Facebook) to disseminate results and relevant information to stakeholders (employers, employees and general audience).
Secondly, we developed the EMPOWER eHealth platform, and pre-pilot tested with potential users. Additionally, the EMPOWER team conducted other critical tasks such as: 1) Scoping review of intervention strategies focusing on mental health in the workplace; 2) Selection and enrolment of SMEs and public agencies in the control trials in each country; 3) Creation of the participation agreement for the each participating company and public agency; 4) Registration of the EMPOWER trial in the clinical trial registry; 5) Formulation of a dissemination and communication plan for project’s results for the full-four years; 6) Preparation of participant information sheets and informed consent form; 7) Preparation of the study protocol, and approval by Ethic Committees from each site; 8) Preparation of guidelines on data security; and, 9) A series of actions to ensure that all security, legal and ethical aspects of EMPOWER are in line with EU, and each participating country regulations.
Until the submission of this report, no exploitation activity has been conducted. On the other hand, we performed a series of dissemination activities. More specifically, we published contents in different formats (press releases, blogs and videos) at the EMPOWER website (www.empower-project.eu) and social media (Twitter and Facebook) to disseminate results and relevant information to stakeholders (employers, employees and general audience).
EMPOWER is developing and will evaluate an evidence-based effective and cost-effective, culturally adapted, multi-modal program that includes an eHealth application to address the increasing burden of mental health problems in the workplace. All major stakeholders will benefit.
First and foremost, EMPOWER will have an impact at an individual level by reducing stress levels, insomnia and mood symptoms, improving wellbeing and changing negative behaviours into positive lifestyles of employees.
Secondly, the EMPOWER program has the potential of a much greater economic impact than its predecessors because of its scaling-up potential. This will result in a large-scale cost reduction for SME companies and society as a whole. As SMEs are proportionally the largest group of companies in Europe, they will experience more directly the benefits of identifying and preventing mental health problems and their costly consequences at the workplace. In the end, this will also significantly reduce costs from absenteeism and presenteeism, and decrease employees’ time to return to work. In addition to testing the effectiveness of the EMPOWER platform in SMEs, we will also evaluate the EMPOWER platform on companies with more than 250 employees, widening the possible impact of the platform to a broader range of companies.
Finally, the implementation of a multi-modal, online cost-effective intervention at work will positively impact on society by reducing burden in terms of human suffering, social exclusion, stigmatization of the mentally ill and their families and the resulting economic costs. This impact will be assessed during the course of the project with the evaluation of the program.
First and foremost, EMPOWER will have an impact at an individual level by reducing stress levels, insomnia and mood symptoms, improving wellbeing and changing negative behaviours into positive lifestyles of employees.
Secondly, the EMPOWER program has the potential of a much greater economic impact than its predecessors because of its scaling-up potential. This will result in a large-scale cost reduction for SME companies and society as a whole. As SMEs are proportionally the largest group of companies in Europe, they will experience more directly the benefits of identifying and preventing mental health problems and their costly consequences at the workplace. In the end, this will also significantly reduce costs from absenteeism and presenteeism, and decrease employees’ time to return to work. In addition to testing the effectiveness of the EMPOWER platform in SMEs, we will also evaluate the EMPOWER platform on companies with more than 250 employees, widening the possible impact of the platform to a broader range of companies.
Finally, the implementation of a multi-modal, online cost-effective intervention at work will positively impact on society by reducing burden in terms of human suffering, social exclusion, stigmatization of the mentally ill and their families and the resulting economic costs. This impact will be assessed during the course of the project with the evaluation of the program.