Osarten is committed to the promotion of mental health in organizations

• The cooperative that forms part of MONDRAGON Health has held a conference to highlight the need to act in areas such as conciliation, inclusion and mental health in work environments, as factors of competitiveness.

Following World Mental Health Day, the 4th Health and Wellbeing Meeting organized by Osarten has highlighted the need to continue working on transforming workplaces into healthier environments. Professionals and companies have come together in this day that has considered the promotion of mental health a fundamental pillar for the present and future of companies and specifically, in addressing the challenge of attracting and retaining talent.

“In recent years, the issue of mental health has been put on the table, also in the workplace. More and more companies are recognizing the importance of caring for the well-being of their professionals and have made great progress in areas such as work-life balance, inclusion and diversity. However, in an uncertain economic and social context, it is essential to maintain this momentum and continue moving in this direction,” said Osarten, member of the MONDRAGON Health alliance.

The experts agreed that organizations that prioritize mental health are better positioned to attract and retain talent, especially among the new generations, who are looking for companies with values and a culture that promotes environments where they can develop their potential.

During the meeting, the importance of putting people at the center was emphasized. In addition to presenting various successful experiences of companies that have implemented specific measures to improve the work environment and prevent stress. “People are the most valuable asset of any organization”, said the cooperative, adding that ‘investing in the promotion of mental health is an investment in the future of the organization’.

The first part of the conference was attended by experts such as Tere Marcos, president of Osarten; Javier Cantera, doctor in psychology and president of the foundation “Personas y Empresas” and Oscar Pérez Zapata, doctor in sociology Professor at the Pontifical University COMILLAS, who, among other topics, addressed the trends that impact on the workplace and people management, and the importance of incorporating mental health into the business culture.

After their speeches, a round table moderated by Iñigo Calcedo, Osarten‘s Prevention Technician specialized in Applied Psychosociology, has served to learn about experiences in the management of the psychosocial environment at work. This round table was attended by Narciso Mazas, Prevention technician specialized in Ergonomics and Applied Psychosociology at Osarten; Nieves Barahona, Director of People Development at Krean Group; Nagore Ipiña, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education Sciences at Mondragon Unibertsitatea; and Endika Palacio, Director of Talent Management at Laboral Kutxa.

The humorist and former Real Sociedad football player Zuhaitz Gurrutxaga was in charge of closing the meeting, addressing in a humorous tone with his hard personal experience with mental health.