The third Monday in January – the so-called Blue Monday – has arrived. Said to be one of the most depressing days of the year, it’s a day that falls as the January blues take hold, the weather continues to be cold, days are short, and perhaps our New Year’s Resolutions are not going as successfully as we intended.
It doesn’t have to be that way, though. We all have moments, days, and even more prolonged periods of feeling down, of struggling to balance everything and it’s normal to feel overwhelmed from time to time. But, there are ways we can help to improve our mood and manage our wellbeing. We’re not superhumans, and we don’t need to pretend we are.
Improving our wellbeing in the workplace has become an increasingly important priority for companies right across the world in recent years. Flexible working, wellbeing days, team connectivity tools and the emergence of company culture are just some examples of how workplaces can support employee wellbeing.
European startups are paving the way forward in the workplace wellbeing space and they’re picking up traction. In the latter half of 2022, for example, we saw companies like Madrid-based ifeel raise €10 million, BlueSkeye AI secured €3.8 million, PsycApps picked up €1.7 million, and, we also chatted to Ana Wolsztajn from Kaya VC about balancing the hustle and mental health.
Achieving a positive work-life balance isn’t an easy thing to do, but it’s something that is imperative to mental wellbeing and good mental health. Everybody, regardless of who they are, where they work, and where they’re from, needs to be considerate of their mental wellbeing. Taking care of our mental health and wellbeing should be a priority in life. Too often, we are all guilty of pushing through hard times, overlooking the signs that we need a mental break, and putting our mental wellbeing on the back burner. Hustle culture doesn’t help, with many people working hard to the point of burnout and exhaustion. It’s simply not sustainable.
Given we spend a large quantity of time in the workplace, it makes sense that employers and workplaces should be supporting employees with mental wellbeing. We strongly believe that it’s imperative for companies to consider the wellbeing of their employees as part of the business. It goes hand-in-hand. After all, if your employees aren’t happy, how can they be productive?
Here, you can find some resources, guides, and tips that we have created to help you manage your own mental health, support your team members, and how startups are promoting better workplace wellbeing:
Startups leading the way for workplace wellbeing
The sad reality is that many mental health problems are linked to the workplace. These European startups are empowering employers to proactively support their employees navigate their mental health. Maybe time to embed their solutions?
10 Startups improving our mental health
Taking care of your mental health needs to be a priority – not something to worry about another day. These European startups will help you manage your mood on a regular basis, giving you the tools you need for life, including access to therapy, sleep tracking, daily meditation and more.
HRtech startups supporting mental wellbeing
Whilst mental wellbeing needs to be embedded throughout the company’s structure, it does tend to rest on the shoulders of the HR teams. Here are European HR solutions that are helping to support employees with better mental wellbeing.
10 Tips to build team happiness
It’s people that add value to your company, and it’s important to make sure each employee feels valued. Here, we outline some exercises that can better engage your employees and make them feel more respected. Hint: trust is important.
10 Tips to avoiding burnout while building your startup
Burnout is a very real danger for startup founders. Here, we give you some tips on how to support your mental health whilst becoming Europe’s next unicorn
Breaking the silence
Work-life balance and startup culture are sometimes paradoxical and the liens between work and personal life can get blurred. Here we take a look at how you can encourage a healthy work climate.
Managing your mental health in a fast-paced startup
It’s not uncommon in early-stage startup teams to work overtime, but doing this consistently increases the risk of burnout. It’s not a good thing to constantly be working – and we should be more vocal about that. Check out our tips here on how to create a positive mental health environment for your startup.
Startups keeping us connected
Keeping teams engaged and connected is crucial in encouraging a positive work-life balance and fostering creativity. Here we take a look at the European-born tools that are growing in popularity and you might want to check them out.