18 May 2021

Cromos Pharma supporting mental health at work

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It aims to increase understanding about mental health, reduce stigma about mental illness and to promote mental health initiatives across the world.

Did you know that:

1 in 5 adults experience a mental health condition, yet less than half receive care.¹
Within the global workforce, around 3 in 10 employees experience severe stress, anxiety, or depression.²
Mental health conditions are more common than cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.
People with other chronic medical conditions are at a higher risk for depression and vice versa.³
Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.⁴

Mental health and the workplace

“We spend most of our adult life at work. How we feel in the workplace is one of the factors that determine our overall well-being.” The World Health Organization

Good working conditions and a positive environment in the workplace contribute to the protection of mental health and also help to increase workers productivity. Promoting initiatives that are supportive of mental health benefits workers, employers, and society at large. Bullying, harassment, and psychological abuse are common causes of work-related stress and pose a significant health risk to workers. Less obvious stressors may include a lack of social support in the workplace, poor work-life balance, lack of cohesion in terms of structure and poor communication as well as unhealthy interpersonal dynamics.

Supporting our employees

At Cromos Pharma we recognize the importance of mental health in the workplace. As well as taking a zero-tolerance stance to bullying and harassment, we actively strive to create a positive, supportive workplace where employees are valued, can openly discuss any issues and are encouraged to look after their mental health. These are some of the ways we do this:

We actively inform employees about the types of assistance available to them (for example, the current voluntary medical insurance includes the psychological support of employees).
We developed a HR Facetime initiative to support staff working from home, during which every employee can share their thoughts, feelings and ideas with HR.
We involve employees in key business decision-making processes, creating a sense of ownership and participation in the management of processes.
Each year we conduct an employee engagement survey to help us understand how we can increase employee satisfaction and promote well-being in the workplace.
We have introduced work-life balance initiatives.
We have a career development program which helps encourage skills acquisition and presents a transparent career path within the company.
We recognize and reward employee contributions and promote respect in the workplace.
We also actively enforce occupational health and safety policies and practices.

Margarita Koshkina, HR Director says:

At Cromos Pharma we promote a family-like atmosphere. We remember to mark and celebrate important occasions in our employees’ lives from birthdays and weddings to promotions. We recognize that our team is central to our success so taking care of our employees’ welfare not only benefits them individually but ensures our company continues to grow. Most importantly our measures to support mental health are not just words or documents on file but real actions in the workplace that we continually assess to make sure they are effective.” The last year has been an extremely challenging time for everyone due to COVID-19 and has presented us with new issues in terms of supporting our staff as they worked from home and also juggled childcare with work when schools were closed. Now, more than ever before, we understand the importance of supporting our employees’ mental health and continuing to maintain a positive environment where they can grow and develop”.

Cromos Pharma is pleased to support greater awareness around mental health this May and every day!