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Mental health in the workplace: strategies for companies!
On the anniversary of the Germanwings tragedy, the article highlights the increasing psychological stress in the workplace and preventive strategies.
Mental health in the workplace: strategies for companies!
On March 20, 2025, the world remembers the tragic anniversary of the Germanwings tragedy that occurred on March 24, 2015. In this accident, an Airbus crashed in the Alps, resulting in the death of all 150 people on board. According to Haufe, the accident was caused by the co-pilot's mental illness. This event casts a shadow over the discussion about mental health in the workplace, which is becoming increasingly important.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that approximately one in four people worldwide suffer from mental disorders. In the last ten years, mental illnesses among employees have increased by around 35 percent, according to the Techniker Krankenkasse. Companies in critical infrastructure, such as the energy, transport and healthcare sectors, are particularly at risk. A historical example is the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, in which stress and overwhelm led to serious violations of safety protocols.
Prevention measures
To prevent such tragedies from happening again, airlines have taken structural measures. Nevertheless, implementing preventative measures is essential. The Wissen emphasizes that maintaining and promoting mental health in the modern working world makes both ethical and economic sense. Positive psychological well-being increases productivity, reduces absenteeism and increases job satisfaction.
An effective prevention strategy should combine occupational health promotion, occupational health and safety. Recommended measures include mental health promotion programs, training, awareness raising and access to psychological support. Innovative approaches include the use of chatbots and AI apps to support psychosocial issues.
Companies are advised to strengthen the resilience of their employees and offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). Regular reviews of working conditions and workload are necessary. Psychological risk analyzes should be carried out annually in risky companies in order to be able to react to psychological stress at an early stage.
The concern to promote a healthy corporate culture is also crucial. An emergency plan should be developed to respond quickly in the event of an incident, and employees should be made aware of mental health. The “HELP” support concept – looking, taking the initiative, assuming a leadership role, assuming leadership responsibility, calling in experts – forms a further building block in prevention work.