AMAgazine #3

FOCUS
PAGE 02
SPECIAL
MENTAL HEALTH
PERCEPTION, APPRECIATION
AND DEVELOPMENT
- DDR. MED. UNIV. GERTRAUD SAUMER
Gertraud Saumer, a doctor and psychotherapist
(behavioral therapy), heads
up Saumer Mental Health GmbH, which
consists of a team of doctors and business
economists with a background in
neuroscience and the theory of learning,
specialising in mental health counselling,
training and executive coaching.
DDR. MED. UNIV. GERTRAUD SAUMER
PSYCHOTHERAPIST
What is currently happening in the professional world
and why is mental health such a hot topic?
The world of work, understanding work itself as well as
expectations of efficiency, performance, free time and
life have changed significantly since the pandemic. This
shift was apparent beforehand, but was intensified by
the pandemic and other threats such as war, climate
and inflation, so much so that it can now be classed as
rapid change. On the one hand, the pace has increased:
knowledge is now readily available everywhere and
work processes are much faster than they were just a
few years ago as a result of digitalisation. Similarly, the
rapid development in the field of artificial intelligence
is unsettling to many professional groups. All of this
creates pressure.
In addition, the fear of missing out (FOMO) has also
increased. Nowadays, our options are seemingly
endless and we often find it difficult to assess what is
important to us. What workshops or digital events are
really necessary? What should you attend in order to
learn something or to network and what not? All of
this is incredibly stressful.
We have less and less social contact because we are
working more and more from home, alone in front of the
computer. Chance encounters with colleagues in the
hallway or chats during coffee breaks are no longer the
case. When we do meet, it’s usually because we have to
work and be productive. This increasing shift towards
working from home is isolating us and could cause us to
lose ties with the company we work for.
Digitalisation has fundamentally changed the world of
work and offers us many advantages such as increased
autonomy, self-determination and better opportunities to
combine work and private life. However, the challenges
and uncertainties that come with this development should
not be underestimated. It is important that we face up to
these changes and find ways to deal with them.
What role does work-life blending play when it comes
to mental health?
To a certain extent, work-life blending represents a
departure from the concept of work-life balance. It is
becoming increasingly apparent that work and life are
merging. We work while we live and vice versa. As a result,
work is an important part of life not just with regard
to time. Both are inextricably linked. There are not two
things where an optimal balance needs to be found. It’s
all one and it’s our life. We no longer organise the phases
of our life as before in chronological order (education,
work, retirement and leisure time), but rather in parallel
seamlessly merging into one another. “First work, then
pleasure” is a thing of the past. Just as well! Work should
be meaningful, fulfilling and fun. It’s important to know
that we can all feel good - at work, in our free time and
in every role we undertake. We have all the tools and opportunities
at our fingertips to enable us to decide how
we want to live our lives. Life is short!
What tips do you give companies? How
can managers support their employees’
mental health?
In addition to a pleasant working environment
and incentives such as fruit
baskets, sport facilities, company parties
and excursions that should not be underestimated,
there are three main things
required to promote employees’ mental health: perception,
appreciation and development. These are things
we all wish for. We want to be noticed. And when team
leaders approach team members to commend them on
their contribution as part of the team and above all as
individuals, it is enriching for both parties. Since we all
want to develop both personally and professionally, the
further training opportunities offered by a company are
also of great importance. All of these are factors, which
make us positive, give us strength and do us good.
I am currently noticing that decision-makers in second
level management are often under pressure. They are
responsible for ensuring that their team is doing well and
have to communicate good results to the top. They often
don’t want to show weakness or be associated with
the topic of mental health. The fear of being perceived
as weak is very pertinent. This pressure coupled with a
lack of self-awareness can lead to burnout in the worst
case scenario. Moreover, it has a negative impact on the
behaviour of team members if team leaders do not show
their human side or allow themselves to be vulnerable
or weak from time to time. Ideally, everyone should be
thriving and treated as a human being.
What link does new leadership have to the topic of
mental health?
New leadership, in other words putting employees’
needs at the forefront, is now an established approach,
which I find both important and useful. Managers perceive
themselves and their employees as well as their
needs and potential. It’s not just about performance at
any cost - the well-being of everyone involved is important.
Managers assume a kind of coaching function
ensuring that team members act independently and
responsibly. In this way, you empower your team members
so to speak. This has a motivating and meaningful
effect, enriches everyday work and also conveys appreciation.
Motivated employees not only work better
and more productively, they also stay at the company
longer. This brings us back to the statement made at the
beginning that work and life are inextricably linked, be-
TIPS
ggf- kürzen,
dass
Infobox + Zusammenfassung
auf
1 Seite
cause work is also life. With this in mind, companies can
benefit in two ways: lower employee turnover and better
results. Companies have great tools at their disposal to
offer their employees an appealing emotional culture in
the workplace.
“A STRONG AND
HEALTHY PSYCHE
REQUIRES SELF-
REFLECTION.”
MENTAL HEALTH TIPS
FOR EVERYONE TO
TAKE AWAY:
• Keep calm.
• Be kind to yourself.
• Strengthen your resilience through
self-reflection.
TIPS FOR
COMPANIES:
• Mental health days.
• Anonymous digital consultation hours.
• Prevention through resilience
programmes.
Finally, what advice do you have for self-employed
people, freelancers and digital nomads? How can they
maintain or restore their mental health?
Basically, the same things apply. Perception, appreciation
and development. A strong and healthy psyche
requires self-reflection. It is important to bear in mind
that the progression from psychological
stress to illness is a fluid
process. You don’t feel stressed,
sad or angry one day and then sick
the next. I have to be self-aware
in order to be able to prevent or
counteract things in time.
It is important that I like myself
and that I am kind to myself. It is also important to remember
that I am allowed to thrive. I have the right and
every opportunity to choose exactly what is good for me.
In addition, I can remove myself from a situation that is
not good for me and change it. As a result of this I can
also develop.
Mental Health.
Die österreichische
Medizinerin und Psychotherapeutin
DDr. Gertraud
Saumer betont die zunehmende
Bedeutung der
mentalen Gesundheit auf
allen Hierarchieebenen in
der Arbeitswelt.
Diese habe sich durch die
Pandemie und die fortschreitende
Digitalisierung
rasant verändert, was zu
Druck und Ängsten führe.
Work-Life-Blending löst
das Konzept der Work-
Life-Balance ab, da Arbeit
und Leben immer mehr verschmelzen
und untrennbar
bzw. eins sind. Saumer unterstreicht
die Bedeutung
von Wahrnehmen, Wertschätzen
und Entwickeln,
um die mentale Gesundheit
der Mitarbeiter:innen zu
fördern. New Leadership
stellt die Bedürfnisse der
Mitarbeiter:innen in den
Mittelpunkt und fördert
die Motivation. Auch für
Selbständige gilt: Selbstwahrnehmung,
Selbstliebe
und Selbstentwicklung sind
wichtig, d.h. gut zu sich
selbst sein und die eigene
Resilienz stärken. Unternehmen
können Mental
Health Days, anonyme
Online-Sprechstunden
und Resilienzprogramme
einführen.
DE
Mental health.
DDr. Gertraud Saumer,
dottoressa e psicoterapeuta
austriaca, sottolinea
il ruolo sempre più importante
della salute psichica
a ogni livello professionale.
La pandemia e la digitalizzazione
incalzante hanno
cambiato radicalmente il
mondo del lavoro, creando
pressione e paure. Il
concetto di work-life-blending
prende il posto del
work-life-balance, perché
il lavoro e la vita privata
si mescolano sempre più,
diventando una cosa sola.
Saumer evidenzia l’importanza
di percezione, stima
e crescita nella promozione
della mental health
del proprio team. La new
leadership si concentra sui
bisogni di collaboratrici e
collaboratori, favorendo la
motivazione. La percezione
di sé, l’autostima e
la crescita sono decisivi
anche per chi lavora come
freelance o libero professionista.
In altre parole:
non stressarti, trattati
con gentilezza e rafforza
la resilienza. Le imprese
possono introdurre mental
health days, incontri digitali
anonimi e programmi
di resilienza.
IT
06