Press release of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and MIELI Mental Health Finland
Impact assessment: Mental Health at Work Programme promoted mental health and culture of prevention in workplaces

The Mental Health at Work Programme, which was implemented in cooperation with a wide range of stakeholders, strengthened the competence and capabilities of workplaces to build a working culture that supports mental wellbeing. According to the assessment, the experiences acquired by different organisations during the Programme show that the development work carried out have high potential for making a large-scale impact in the years to come.

The Mental Health at Work Programme was led and coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and it was part of the implementation of the National Mental Health Strategy and the Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government. The core objective of the Programme was to change the focus of mental health support at work from solving existing problems in an individual-focused way to preventing work ability problems in the entire work community. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and MIELI Mental Health Finland were responsible for the operational implementation of the Programme. In addition, a large number of partners and stakeholders took part in the implementation of the Programme. The Programme was implemented in 2021–2022.

Solutions to proactively support mental health at work

As a concrete solution to the situation and for the purpose of supporting workplaces, the Programme created a Mental Health Support Toolkit and a model for occupational health cooperation to help build a working culture that supports mental wellbeing. Effective methods to support mental health proactively and to increase wellbeing at work were developed in broad-based cooperation with different stakeholders and workplaces. Both the Toolkit and the model are freely available to workplaces and occupational healthcare services.

New model increases wellbeing at work

The model for occupational health cooperation that was developed under the Programme met the objectives set for it with regard to its content and suitability. The model was also assessed to have novelty value. As a result of the measures taken, cooperation and a common understanding improved considerably in some organisations. The model can be expected to support workplaces and occupational healthcare services in their development work to improve mental wellbeing. 

Easy-to-use tools for promoting mental health at work 

According to the assessment, all nine tools of the Mental Health Support Toolkit were digitalised successfully. The tools were used more than 125,000 times during the Programme. The methods and approaches developed have met the general needs of users well, and further development measures were already taken during the Programme. The tools were found to motivate action, thus creating the conditions for achieving a change in attitudes and culture.

According to the assessment, communications were the key factor contributing to a change in the operating culture and attitudes during the Programme. Communications were used to reach key target groups and gain wide visibility for the Programme’s themes. Discussion on mental health became more common and a part of everyday life, and the Programme succeeded in reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues to some extent.   

The development work initiated and enabled by the Programme has laid the foundation for disseminating the outputs to workplaces. The models and tools are spreading and they are further developed to meet the needs of workplaces. Following their launch and initial introduction during the Programme, the outputs can now be spread and used on a long-term basis.

According to the assessment, the experiences acquired by different organisations during the Programme show that the development work undertaken within the Programme have high potential for making a large-scale impact in the years to come. However, this requires that further work be conducted in a strategically wise manner and on a long-term basis. The impact of the Programme is reflected particularly in the fact that the development work is continued in the participating workplaces and occupational healthcare and that the intention is to expand and disseminate the developed operating models even after the programming period. 

The Mental Health Support Toolkit and the model for occupational health cooperation will also continue to be disseminated and further developed as part of the measures of the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland.

The impact assessment was carried out by Nordic Healthcare Group together with its partners.

• Impact assessment of the Mental Health at Work Programme | Reports and memorandums of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2023:18 (20 April 2023)

Read more

• Website for the Mental Health Support Toolkit and the model for occupational health cooperation. 

Inquires

Jaana Vastamäki, Project Manager, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, [email protected]
Salla Toppinen-Tanner, Director, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, [email protected]
Meri Larivaara, Director, MIELI Mental Health Finland, [email protected]
Teemu Tupala, Senior Manager, Nordic Healthcare Group, [email protected] (assessment results)