Mental health prevention in companies is not a benefit but a condition for employee development.

19 maja 2026

Comment by Dr. Andrzej Silczuk, psychiatrist and Multi.Life expert

Mental health prevention at work is not a benefit for the vulnerable, but a full-fledged and democratic element of organisational culture that directly impacts efficiency, engagement and costs (even those related to sick leave). Overstimulation, the pace of life, the pressure of productivity and a lot of cultural influences push the basic mechanisms of healthy functioning out of the calendar. The effect is predictable: tension increases, concentration drops, sleep problems appear, and the person teeters on the verge of burnout. In practice, corporate prevention means creating conditions in which employees have a real opportunity to both slow down and use tools that support them in dealing with problematic situations before the red flag goes off.

Dr. Andrzej Silczuk

Many teams are still trying to find the golden mean between two overlapping concepts: “result, efficiency, career” versus “quality of life and values.” When an organisation promotes only the first approach, employees often try to adapt at all costs, to the point of breakdown. Burnout then gives very clear signals: emotional and physical exhaustion, growing cynicism and hostility, and a decline in quality of life. In addition, there is the risk of worsening the balance and sacrificing basic needs that translate into health, such as sleep, physical activity or quality nutrition. As a result, concentration decreases and mistakes occur at work. These trigger the anger of superiors, which creates even greater tension. And so, burnout occurs, which is sometimes correlated with symptoms of depression and often requires taking sick leave.

Mental health prevention begins with listening to employees, thanks to which company leaders can effectively support the team. They gain a map of needs which they can use to create a plan and then select proper tools which must provide employees with three things: easy access to professional, but also individualised help, and a sense of security. In this way, the company sends a signal that the area of mental health is important to it, but that it also understands the importance of individualised mental health support. It offers tools that allow employees to independently choose the form and area of support, store data securely, and are simple and specific. They do not burden employees with additional tasks but guide them according to their needs. Sometimes it is support in the form of consultations with a mental health specialist (e.g., one-to-one consultations on the Multi.Life platform), sometimes it is clear guidance on specific steps of a healthy diet, sometimes a clear path for improving soft skills that facilitate conflict resolution or stress management. A 2024 Deloitte report shows that among the surveyed companies, investing 1 euro in wellbeing solutions paid off five times. The meaning of these investments is simple: better quality of human functioning translates into the quality of work, relationships within the team and readiness for cooperation and development.

Good mental state and wellbeing create conditions for further development. Cognitively we are then better prepared to acquire knowledge. After all, it is employees who want to develop that have a huge impact on creating the competitive value of the organisation. In times of dynamic changes in the labour market, many companies will face the real need to create good conditions for employee development. AIHR Trends Report 2025 forecasts that in the coming years 60% of jobs will require new qualifications and 70% of business leaders fear that competency gaps will negatively impact the performance of their organisations. At the same time, according to the Muliti.Life survey, as many as 82% of professionally active employees declare that the development of competences and improving qualifications are important to them. In contrast, only 10% of employees in Poland feel that their employer invests in the skills they need to develop their careers in the future (source: People at Work, A Global Workforce View, ADP Research 2025).

Mental health prevention supported by smart tools will not lead to a mythical ideal but if a company can make room for this, it will gain not only a more stable employee, but also a healthier and more efficient organisation with a work culture focused on the most important resource: people.

Dr. Andrzej Silczuk, psychiatrist, academic lecturer, educator and promoter of knowledge about mental health. Head of Mental Health at Benefit Systems and Multi.Life expert. He heads the Department of Environmental Psychiatry at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Medical University of Warsaw. Member of the Mental Health Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Author of the “Andrzej Silczuk Podcast” and “Niemyte Dusze” podcasts. The host of the “Multi.Life Talks” podcast. He conducts webinars and training sessions in the field of mental health, coping with stress and crisis in the workplace.

Benefit Systems has been a leader in the Polish non-financial benefits market for over 20 years and one of the most important players in the fitness industry in the region. For years, the company has been setting market development directions, creating modern solutions that support employee wellbeing and promote an active lifestyle. Benefit Systems’ flagship product is the MultiSport Programme – the most recognizable and most frequently chosen sports programme in Poland, providing access to thousands of sports and recreational facilities. The company’s strong portfolio is complemented by the MyBenefit cafeteria platform and the comprehensive Multi.Life wellbeing programme, creating a unique ecosystem of benefits for companies that care about their employees. Benefit Systems is also dynamically expanding its presence abroad. The company’s sports offer is available in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Turkey, which strengthens its position as one of the key providers of wellbeing services in Central and Eastern Europe. The group is also a major operator of fitness clubs in six markets, and in Poland it is responsible for well-known networks, including Fabryka Formy, FitFabric, Fitness Academy, My Fitness Place and Zdrofit. Benefit Systems’ mission is to inspire physical activity and care for health at every stage of life. That’s why the company runs numerous educational and health-promoting initiatives for children, adults, and seniors, including through the MultiSport Foundation. Its actions confirm that the role of a leader is not only about scale, but also about real social influence. Since 2018, Benefit Systems has been a member of the prestigious B Corp community, which brings together companies that adhere to the highest standards of responsibility and social involvement in their business. More information at benefitsystems.pl/en and biuroprasowe.benefitsystems.pl/releases/English.