Before the team burns out. How not to miss the moment when you can still help.
Over 1.6 million sick leaves due to mental health problems were issued in Poland in 2024. This is nearly 14% more than a year earlier. But before a sick leave appears, a process that is often difficult to capture develops for many months: a decrease in motivation, withdrawal, presenteeism – symptoms of mental overload and burnout. Rising absenteeism and turnover rates often indicate that organisations have missed warning signs. In a world of information noise, time shortages, accelerated change and uncertainty, caring for the mental wellbeing of teams is becoming a strategic necessity.
A silent crisis that begins sooner than we think
According to The Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) data, in 2024 over 1.6 million sick leaves due to mental and behavioural disorders were issued in Poland. This is 13.8% more than a year earlier. The total absence time due to this reason exceeded 30 million days. The most common causes were reactions to severe stress and adjustment disorders. Sick leaves were more common among women and people aged 30 to 39¹ – the age group that plays important operational and managerial roles in organisations.
Sick leave or resignation from work is usually the last stage of a professional crisis and the one that attracts the most attention. What comes before?
The first sign of a deeper problem is often the phenomenon of presenteeism. Over time an employee who is formally present – physically or online – loses the ability to focus, engage, and act with a sense of purpose. A “quiet resignation” is taking place. Deloitte data confirms that 90% of Polish employees declare a deep crisis of professional motivation, which may then result in a desire to seek an employer offering better conditions or greater interest in employee wellbeing.
An employee comes to the office or logs in remotely but is less actively involved in work. This type of reduced effectiveness can cost an organisation even more than absence because it remains invisible for a long time. Presenteeism is not a motivation problem. This is often a kind of defence mechanism – employees seemingly function in a place that exhausts them because they see no alternative or space for reaction or change. The body is present, but the psyche has long since withdrawn from relationship, commitment, and meaning. It’s a silent signal that something is breaking – Dr. Andrzej Silczuk, psychiatrist, Head of Mental Care at Benefit Systems, Multi.Life.
In Deloitte’s “Mental health and employers” report from last year the cost of poor employee mental health was estimated at GBP 51 billion a year. The largest share of these costs (GBP 24 billion) is due to the phenomenon of presenteeism.
What lies behind employee burnout, presenteeism and reduced motivation?
According to “ The wellbeing of Poles ” report prepared by infuture.institute on behalf of Benefit Systems, decreased motivation, burnout and presenteeism are complex phenomena whose sources lie in the contemporary realities of life and work. As many as 61% of respondents declare a high level of anxiety related to the current socio-political situation. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to find a balance between work and private life, especially in a world of accelerating digitalisation that overwhelms us with the pace of change and blurs the boundaries between different spheres of life. The lowest level of wellbeing is reported by people aged 35–44, i.e. the core of Polish employees. Combining professional responsibilities with caring for children and elderly parents, representatives of this group are particularly sensitive to social pressures and the challenges associated with the realities of life.
Although we know more about the psychophysical condition of employees, many organisations still do not have a strategy to support their wellbeing.
Tomorrow starts today
In recent years, many companies have consistently developed activities promoting physical health. They offer medical packages, promote physical activity, and ensure the ergonomics of workstations. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that to fully support employees, it is necessary to supplement this model with equally well-thought-out preventive measures connected with mental health. Stress, burnout or chronic fatigue rarely appear suddenly. They are much more often the result of an accumulation of everyday difficulties, which can be counteracted if the organisation creates the right conditions: availability of support, clarity of roles, space for communicating needs.
In the face of growing challenges related to employee mental health, the importance of systemic solutions offering quick and professional access to psychological support becomes crucial. Data from 2023 indicate an almost 50% increase in the number of visits to psychologists and psychiatrists in Poland compared to the previous year². These alarming statistics highlight the need not only for prevention, but also for effective responses to crises that already exist.
Systematic approach: flexibility, quality and availability
The response to growing needs connected with mental health cannot be piecemeal. Companies expect solutions that naturally fit into their operations and will also contribute to creating a healthy work environment. In turn, employees expect an individual approach and flexible support programmes tailored to their lifestyle. The needs of both groups are reflected in employee benefits based on comprehensive action. One of them is Multi.Life, a wellbeing platform from Benefit Systems, creator of the MultiSport card, which has been strengthened by integration with the Wellbee company. The latter is a leader in the field of online psychological care, with the largest team of psychologists and therapists on the market. The inclusion of Wellbee in a broad package of services provides Multi.Life users with access to over 300 experienced specialists representing various branches of psychology. Additionally, contact can take the form of a quick chat consultation, ad hoc sessions, or regular online therapy tailored to one’s current needs. Wellbee’s experience to date shows that many people begin their therapies with a meeting with a Therapy Counsellor – a specialist qualified to guide them in choosing the appropriate therapeutic method. Then, they continue them in the form of regular meetings with the target psychotherapist.
New clients are given the option to set a limit on consultations per employee, while maintaining flexibility in their use both in terms of timing and frequency. Work on a module that will allow companies to purchase additional support packages in crisis situations is also underway. Importantly, Multi.Life also offers a wide database of developmental and psychoeducational materials, making the platform a comprehensive solution that addresses both intervention and preventive needs.
Taking a comprehensive approach to wellbeing, we knew from the beginning that psychological support was at the heart of mental health care. When addressing the needs expressed by companies and employees in this area, we focused primarily on three things: availability, quality of specialists and flexibility. That’s why the merger with Wellbee was a natural step. It gave us the scale and expertise to truly support mental wellbeing at the organisational level, not just the individual level – says Piotr Szostak, Managing Director of Strategy and Product Development at Benefit Systems.
Time for balance – also in our approach to mental health
Taking care of one’s mental health should not be an action taken only in the face of burnout, absenteeism or resignation from work. Just as we have learned to support the physical health of employees over the years, today we need an equally consistent approach to mental health prevention. This is not just an expression of care. It is an element of conscious team management and responsible leadership – says Andrzej Silczuk.
According to analysis conducted by Deloitte in the UK, every pound invested in employee mental health can bring an average five-fold return¹. Companies that systematically support wellbeing report lower absenteeism, greater engagement and higher retention. It is an investment that pays off both in numbers and in the quality of daily work.
1 The Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), Department of Statistics and Actuarial Forecasts, January 20252Enelmed
3 https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/services/consulting/analysis/mental-health-and-employers-the-case-for-investment.html
Barbara Jastrzębska
Benefit Systems has been operating on the Polish market for over two decades and is one of the leaders in providing non-financial benefits that support employee wellbeing. The company is the creator of the MultiSport Programme, which enables physical activity in sports facilities throughout the country. Its portfolio also includes the MyBenefit cafeteria platform and the MultiLife wellbeing programme. For several years now, the company’s sports offer has been developed on foreign markets, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Croatia. The Benefit Systems Group also operates fitness clubs (in Poland it is responsible for Fabryka Formy, FitFabric, Fitness Academy, Good Luck, My Fitness Place, Saturn Fitness, StepONE, Total Fitness and Zdrofit networks). An important area of Benefit Systems activities is the promotion of an active lifestyle at every stage of life, which is why the company implements initiatives supporting physical activity of children, adults, and seniors, also as part of the MultiSport Foundation. Since 2018, Benefit Systems has been part of the global B Corp initiative, bringing together companies operating and engaging in solving the most important social problems. More information can be found at benefitsystems.pl/en
