There is no one-size-fits-all approach to workforce mental health – Rappler

Editor’s note: This content is sponsored by Infinit Care and was produced by BrandRap, the sales and marketing arm of Rappler. No member of the news and editorial team participated in the production of this piece.

Until recent years, workplace psychological healthcare within the Philippines was considered more of a case-to-case concern than an everyday priority. Often, it only becomes actionable for organizations when employees are already displaying extreme signs of duress. Even then, the response may be relegated to a matter of just taking a leave.

For Infinit Treatment general manager Anne Ordoña, this is a practice the company is working to change. “Many of the particular approaches when it comes to mental health just look at one aspect, which is when you are mentally ill [and] are already having difficulty coping with life’s challenges. We believe that’s simply a very narrow approach, ” says Ordoña.

Now, the needs of the workforce have evolved to put sustainable mental health at the forefront of their concerns, and Infinit Care understands how to move with this shift.  

Infinit Care is a mental healthcare provider that specializes in workplace wellbeing. Launched in 2020, the company seeks in order to provide customized and accessible mental wellness services for every individual in a workforce. The company provides the platform associated with services which include virtual counseling from licensed professionals, a 24/7 chat helpline, mood tracking tools plus personalized psychological wellness content.

Infinit Care understands the singular nature of every organization – and even down to each individual – and combines this along with harnessing the particular potentials of technology. Through this, the company positions itself as a proponent for a technology-driven, future-forward method of workplace mental healthcare in the Philippines.

Viewing psychological health as a spectrum

Infinit Care’s approach will be guided by the Mental Health Continuum framework, which posits that mental health must be seen as a spectrum instead associated with a definite state. Individuals constantly slide along this spectrum, and most are in fact within the “green zone” of the scale. “It doesn’t mean that when you’re okay, you don’t need help. Because when you are okay, you also want to stay in that will state and continue because much as we can, ” says Infinit Care head of clinical care, Shyne Mangulabnan.

With this perspective, companies should be able to provide support to each employee, wherever they are on this level. “Where Infinit Care comes in is we recognize that people in crisis are just a small percentage in an organization at any given point in time, ” states Ordoña. “If their focus as the company is usually just on what we call the ‘red zone’ or the mentally sick zone, you’re disregarding everyone else. You’ve become more reactive compared to proactive. ”

For a better understanding, Ordoña likens it in order to maintaining physical health. “It doesn’t mean that if you are healthy, physically, you stop looking after your health. You will still eat well, sleep properly, and exercise even if you’re not sick. In the same way, when it comes to looking right after your psychological health, it’s all about making sure that you get the right kind of support where ever you may be on that spectrum. ”

Meeting companies where they’re at upon mental healthcare

In order to create tailor-fit packages for their clients, the particular Infinit Treatment team creates a close relationship with partner companies to thoroughly understand their culture, pressing issues, and their overall mental health goals.

The strategy involves an assessment from the diverse consultants available within Infinit Care, from tech support in order to mental health. “We all bring within our knowledge to make [our services] more available, technology-driven, plus based on psychological health research and Psychology. We bring in our years associated with experience, through partnering with different businesses and businesses in terms of helping them along with their mental health initiative, ” says Mangulabnan.

It is vital to assess where the company is at in terms of mental health care to properly bridge the gaps towards sustained support. “There are businesses that are nevertheless in the very, very early stages, and really may have started out associated with compliance, ” shares Ordoña. “There are usually some companies that are more progressive and advanced in their well-being approach, hence we work with them in producing their programs more lasting. ”

Empowering employees to take charge of the psychological health

The key effort that Infinit Care champions is letting employees access mental wellness services in their own pace, depending on their own needs anywhere they are within the range. For workers to better understand their particular state of mind, Infinit Care recommends a test modeled after the scientifically-backed World Wellness Organization Well Being Index, with which usually Infinit Care’s app platform bases its recommendations on.  

“For example, in case you’re someone who is really healthy, what a person see in your app is more suggestions and self care, ” states Ordoña. “Your content will be about taking treatment of your mental health, how nutrition can assistance your mental health, the kinds of exercises [the individual] can do to sustain your own mental wellness. ” 

If the employee is definitely moving towards the “red zone” of the particular spectrum, the app also adjusts accordingly. “For someone who’s going through, let’s say, anxiety or depression, they will certainly find content that’s relevant to their current psychological health challenge. They would see a lot more articles on how it is okay to ask for help, knowing depression, how different it is from stress, what are usually the signals and red flags, and exactly how you can ask for help. ”

At this point in time, the Filipino workforce has moved way beyond band-aid solutions with regard to commonplace mental health issues like burnout, stress, and panic. As understanding of psychological health deepens in the particular country, so has the rightful demand for employers to provide psychologically safe environments grown stronger – plus companies must now walk the talk.

Thankfully, mental healthcare providers like Infinit Care are leading the particular charge upon fostering long-term initiatives and strategies that will address every single worker’s unique concerns. – Rappler. com