May 3, 2023

While this very group can help alleviate labor market tightness

Soesterberg, May 3, 2023 - In the tight labor market, employers are missing opportunities by not hiring people with mental variation. This is unjustified, because with the right guidance, they add rare and unique qualities. Harnessing the potential of this group can help alleviate labor market tightness while promoting their well-being.

Photo: SpecialistsNet, stock photo

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There is no single definition for the term psychological variation, explains psychologist Nicole Moreaux of SpecialistsNet. The bottom line is that everyone has some form of psychological suffering or vulnerability, which rears its head in the face of adversity. "With the term psychological variation, you get rid of stamps that belong to disorders. If you're labeled a disorder, it doesn't mean you're crazy. Psychic variation deals a little more freely with a person's vulnerabilities," the psychologist said. In the Netherlands, 43 percent of the population has ever dealt with a mental disorder, the Social and Cultural Planning Office calculated in 2018. And 64 percent of employers do not want to hire people with a mental vulnerability, according to research by Tilburg University.

Hanna Verboom: breaking the stigmas

Actress and documentary filmmaker Hanna Verboom has personally experienced what it is like to live with bipolarity. She recently made the documentary "Out of the Shadows" to contribute to breaking the stigmas that exist around mental illness in the workplace and elsewhere. The film can be viewed for free on her film platform Cinetree. Verboom also gives corporate lectures on the subject and emphasizes that being open and honest about your situation can show that you dare to be vulnerable and that this actually makes you stronger. "It is important for employees to know that they are not alone and that help and support is available. Employers are beginning to understand more and more that hiring people with a mental health variation can contribute to a more inclusive and creative work culture." Promoting employee well-being and encouraging company growth and development are two sides of the same coin, according to Verboom. "If both aspects are central, they can reinforce each other and contribute to a successful and healthy work environment."

Qualities that companies do not yet have

Verboom used to be urged not to talk about this or she would "never get work anywhere. That's exactly how it shouldn't be, believes psychologist Nicole Moreaux of SpecialistenNet. 'There is still little talk about mental health, especially in the workplace. Fear of talking about mental problems is unnecessary.' SpecialistsNet is a network of psychologists and coaches. Within this network, mental health in the workplace is one of the specialties. According to SpecialistenNet, too many companies and organizations miss out on quality by not hiring people with a mental variation or offering tools to function optimally. Especially given the tight labor market, this is an urgent problem.

"Employers honestly admit that they find it exciting to hire someone with a history of mental variation," Moreaux says. According to her, companies find it difficult to assess what vulnerability will cost them. 'While it brings a lot of benefits and adds qualities that an organization lacks. ADDs are often creative people, who think out of the box. Someone on the autism spectrum can be detail-oriented and precise, while people with anxiety are more likely to be empathetic, something that comes in handy in the healthcare world.'

Speed, specialism and proximity

SpecialistsNet helps employees and employers through three principles: speed, specialization and proximity. The employer buys the care itself, without the intervention of an insurer. With this approach we have a short throughput time and waiting lists, whereas a course of treatment in regular health care can take up to a year. Our approach costs the employer money, of course, but less than if someone were out of work for months.

The network works with many different employers. The specialists do not diagnose; they look at what someone needs to feel better in the workplace. 'We look not only at vulnerability, but also at strengths and skills. Often someone turns out not to have a disorder, but merely to be overworked. For example, I just completed a program with an overworked man, who does not have the social skills to easily make contact and talk about his gloominess. Then our listening ear lays the foundation for improvement. Psychological suffering can also be resolved simply.'

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About SpecialistsNet:

SpecialistenNet is a leading provider of customized mental care in the Netherlands, based in Soesterberg. The network consists of more than 110 highly qualified psychologists, confidants, and other mental care experts, each with specific expertise, including on transition. With proven results in various sectors, including healthcare, education, and government, SpecialistenNet supports organizations, throughout the Netherlands, in promoting the mental health and well-being of their employees.