DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WORKPLACE PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES IN HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

Introduction. The events of the full-scale war in Ukraine have had a devastating impact on all spheres of the country’s life, bringing to the forefront the need to establish additional legal mechanisms for social protection, as well as psychological and social support – not only for specific groups, but for the population as a whole. The comprehensive and all-encompassing nature of mental health protection measures should be ensured through coordinated interaction among public authorities, local self-government bodies, enterprises, institutions, and organizations, leaving no individual in need of psychosocial support alone with their problems. Under such conditions, the importance of developing and implementing workplace psychosocial support programs by employers is increasing.

Purpose. The purpose of this article is to analyze the factors that determine the relevance of developing and implementing workplace psychosocial support programs in healthcare institutions, as well as to develop a framework program for workplace psychosocial support programs in healthcare settings.

Materials and Methods. The study employed the following materials: 1) the regulatory and legal framework substantiating the feasibility of developing and implementing workplace psychosocial support programs for healthcare employees; 2) research by domestic and international scholars engaged in theoretical and applied studies in the field of developing and implementing psychosocial support programs for employees; 3) the results of the authors’ own research obtained through a sample survey of healthcare workers in healthcare institutions in the Kharkiv region.

For a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of literature sources, scientific publications, and electronic resources on the subject, the following methods were used: bibliosemantic analysis, sociological methods, logical analysis, and systems analysis. Logical-structural analysis and content analysis of articles in the databases Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed made it possible to identify the most significant trends in the contemporary legal regulation of psychosocial support and mental health support in different countries.

Results. Comprehensive, systemic psychosocial support in the workplace is a relatively new component in Ukraine for preserving mental health and ensuring employee safety at work.

The development and implementation of workplace PSS require a comprehensive approach based on a multi-level system of regulatory acts. These include international treaties ratified by Ukraine, laws and subordinate legislation, acts of local self-government bodies (including regional PSS programs and other related initiatives), as well as local acts – workplace PSS programs – which can and should take into account the specific features of production processes and the microclimate of each workforce.

Taking into account differences in production processes, corporate ethics, and established traditions of professional communication, it appears advisable to develop framework PSS programs for different professional environments. Such programs should address the most significant psychosocial risks and include appropriate measures to prevent them.

The specific nature of the work performed by employees of healthcare institutions determines the presence of both general psychosocial risks inherent in any professional environment and specific risks characteristic of healthcare professionals. These include factors contributing to professional burnout, such as exposure to human suffering and loss that cannot always be alleviated; the need to make rapid and effective clinical decisions under time constraints and limited resources; constant workplace stress; excessive workload; and others. For the practical implementation of psychosocial support programs for employees in healthcare institutions, the authors of this study – based on their experience of conducting a sample survey of healthcare workers in healthcare institutions of the Kharkiv region, as well as a systematic analysis of Ukrainian legal and regulatory acts and the Methodological Recommendations for the Implementation of Workplace Psychosocial Support for Employers developed by the Ministry of Economy, Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Ukraine – have developed a Framework Program for Psychosocial Support of Healthcare Workers in the Workplace.

Discussion. A promising direction for further research on PSS is the in-depth analysis of such measures and programs within the scientific discourse of various disciplines, including sociology, law, political science, medical psychology, social medicine, and others. It is precisely the synergy of scientifically grounded conclusions regarding the psychological, social, medical, economic, and legal aspects of psychosocial support measures that will ensure a comprehensive and effective approach to their implementation and execution.

In our view, prospects for further research on workplace psychosocial support (PSS) should encompass both the theoretical (conceptual) level – multidisciplinary scientific studies on the effectiveness of psychosocial support measures using tools from various fields – and the practical (regulatory) level – namely, the adoption of legal acts introducing employee mental health insurance programs and the application of tax incentives for employers who develop and implement effective PSS programs within their organizations.