Context & objectives
In Europe, employees have the right to a high level of protection of their health and safety at work. Employee health is one of the main challenges for modern organizations. Between 2016 and 2021, long-term absences due to burnout and depression increased by 46% in Belgium (National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance RIZIV).
The 2023 “State of the Global Workplace” report by Gallup captures how employees rate their wellbeing at work:
- Work-related stress: the stress level of employees remains at a record high: 40% of Belgians experience daily stress at work.
- Intent to leave: 53% of employees in Belgium are looking for a new job or exploring other job opportunities.
- Employee engagement: only 11% of employees in Belgium feel engaged or committed to their job.
- Quiet quitting: 59% of employees worldwide are “guilty” of the “quiet quitting” phenomenon. In Europe, this figure rises to 72%.
Experts have long called for companies to prioritise employee wellbeing, especially mental health, and to develop appropriate strategies, to prevent stress and burnout out. Research shows that creative arts therapy can help people access, explore and share authentic feelings and reflect and better cope with stressful experiences.
Our project aims to offer employees an opportunity:
- To gain initial experience of self-expression and -exploration through arts-based techniques
- To experiment relief, explore stress factors and coping mechanisms
- To get tools and insights to manage stress and enhance self-awareness through self-expression
- To step back and reflect on professional stress.
Impact
Results from a survey on 28 participants to a discovery wellbeing workshop show that:
- 68% liked the workshop very much and 32% much
- 96% would (highly) recommend the workshop to a colleague
- 71% would consider taking part in a cycle of regular workshops, for example 6 workshops, if their employer offered it.
Among the things that participants appreciated most of the experience, are:
- “Being able to share and connect on a deeper level”
- “Opening up and reflecting in a way that you would never do on your own”
- “The journey of getting inside you”
- “Get out of the comfort zone”
- “Freedom to create without any boxes”
- “A space for creativity, freedom and non-judgment”.
Partners
