The numbers don’t lie. If you also realise that it is not always about severe mental health problems, investing in prevention may make more sense than you previously would have thought. Indeed, it is often an accumulation of problems. Just imagine: your partner is chronically ill, a close friend has died, and your mother-in-law is driving you nuts. All these issues make it impossible for you to concentrate on your work, and the mistakes start piling up. At that point, it only takes a minor incident for you to call in sick because you simply can't go on like this.

When someone calls in sick due to mental or psychological problems, the Gatekeeper Improvement Act stipulates that the company doctor will come into in the picture at the earliest within two weeks. But then again: after a good talk with a coach, who is available within 48 hours, a sick report may no longer be an issue at all. I'm sure I don't need to explain how much this benefits the employee and how much money this will save your organisation.

Research shows that blowing off steam can solve a lot of issues. A sympathetic ear has great effects: it triggers your body to produce chemicals that make you feel better. That is why a few short sessions with a coach who works together with the employee in a solution-oriented manner can work wonders. This is the science that formed the foundation for the creation of One2Talk, a very accessible tool that employees can use when things get difficult.

Of course, I wish things were different, but psychological help is still clouded in (a little bit of) taboo. 'Just act normal and don't make a fuss,' Dutch people tend to tell themselves. That is why One2Talk offers employees the opportunity to get in touch with a coach in their area anonymously via an app. That makes getting help very accessible.