Online Manufacturer takes part in scientific project for the prevention of mental illnesses in the work environment
FACTUREE promotes mental health of personnel through model project “Soul Office”
Berlin, 15th May 2023 – Incapacity for work due to mental issues can quickly lead to suffering and high costs. Prevention is therefore key for employees and companies. FACTUREE (www.facturee.de) supports measures to strengthen and restore mental health in the work environment. The Berlin-based Online Manufacturer is therefore taking part in the model project “Soul Office” (souloffice-berlin.de) of the non-profit company KOPF, HAND + FUSS gGmbH (KHuF). Here, employees get the chance to develop and strengthen coping strategies with the help of psychological support, peer counseling and coaching elements. FACTUREE employees can work remotely in KHuF’s coworking space TUECHTIG and take advantage of mental support and coaching there.
A fragile mental state can lead to burnout, depression, anxiety or high stress levels. As mental health affects all areas of life, it determines not only individual wellbeing, but professional performance as well. This has an impact on the ill person on the one hand, but also their family, co-workers and employers.
Benjamin Schwab, co-founder and CMO of FACTUREE, explains, “Employers have a responsibility for the health of their employees and considerable influence on their mental health. In a rapidly growing company such as FACTUREE, for example, the workload is constantly high, placing corresponding demands on the employees. To prevent the workload from impairing mental health and to create a balance, we are taking part in the new project ‘Soul Office’. In this way, we support our employees in maintaining a well-balanced mental state to better cope with stressful situations.”
In the “Soul Office” in Berlin, employees can pursue their work and get psychological support. Further, peer counseling and coaching elements are part of the concept. The goal is to develop and strengthen personal coping strategies directly in the work setting.
Prevention as a pillar of corporate health management
“Soul Office” is a model project of KOPF, HAND + FUSS gGmbH. The program addresses employees who are already ill as well as those who feel that their capacity for work could be at risk because of mental stress and would like to prevent deterioration or illness. Complementing the workplace in the office or at home, the project is understood to be a further element of corporate health management. As part of this initiative, the Online Manufacturer FACTUREE uses a variety of rooms in KHuF’s inclusive coworking space TUECHTIG where employees can work remotely and engage in the “Soul Office” program.
“The ‘Soul Office’ is a place for personal encounters and exchange of ideas. It provides a protected space for dealing with issues that trigger illness and fosters hope and confidence. Because mental illnesses are becoming more common in our fast-moving society, employers should advocate for this issue in general and focus on prevention,” says Benjamin Schwab.
The project includes group settings, short workshops and individual counseling, for example. Working is embedded in a fixed daytime structure. Over a period of several weeks, long-term coping strategies can thus be developed in the work setting and self-care skills can be consolidated. The psychological and psychoeducational formats involved are guided by psychologists and recovery coaches.
Tobias S., a freelancer, is taking part in the Soul Office program. He says, “The Soul Office has taught me how important self-care is. This means in practice that I am more aware and stricter when it comes to taking breaks, giving rise to new ideas and impetus. I have also acquired the ability to structure my work day better and can thus focus more on my work. Additionally, I have learned to manage my urge for perfectionism and accept that good performance is enough. These and other aspects greatly affect my wellbeing and my productivity.”
Corporate prevention prevents longer periods of incapacity for work
The investments made by employers in early prevention contribute primarily to maintaining the mental health of employees, but they also have an economic aspect. Benjamin Schwab explains, “Corporate prevention comes before intervention, from the economic standpoint as well. Impaired mental health leads to frequent days of sick leave and longer absences due to illness, so the approach benefits all involved. The model project also closes a gap. Previously, in most programs in this area, recovery took place in private life, away from the workplace, although there is a direct link between work and health. By participating in the project, we would like to send a signal and counteract the stigma of mental illness.”
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Profile of FACTUREE – The Online Manufacturer:
cwmk GmbH, based in Berlin, operates under the brand name FACTUREE as the first Online Manufacturer. The company pursues the goal of enabling its customers to procure modern production parts through digitization, automation and networking. FACTUREE has an extensive production network of over 1000 manufacturing partners from the fields of CNC machining, sheet metal production, 3D printing, casting, forging, and surface technology. More than 15000 machines are constantly available for projects. All partners are subject to a continuous data-driven quality management system certified according to ISO 9001. FACTUREE can realize prototyping projects as well as small and large series production. The customer base is located in the most diverse fields such as mechanical engineering, medical technology, model making, robotics, automotive as well as aerospace. Leading industrial companies like Siemens and Parker Hannifin, SMEs, research institutes and universities are among the customers. FACTUREE is active throughout Europe and has a continuously growing number of customers in other European countries.
Further information: www.facturee.de
