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Psychological and organisational support during life crises, severe illness, return to work, loss, professional burnout and other situations that affect the employee and the work environment.
Severe illness, life crisis, loss or prolonged psychological strain do not remain outside the workplace. They can change concentration, work capacity, relationships with colleagues, the need for absences and the way a person experiences their own professional role.
The employer, in turn, often has to make decisions in situations for which there is no ready organisational script – how to talk to an employee who has received a serious diagnosis, how to organise their return after prolonged treatment, how to support a team after the death of a colleague, or how to respond to a psychological crisis in the workplace.
Psychological support within organisations should not become either a tool for controlling employees or a way of presenting systemic problems as an individual inability to cope. Good organisational care combines access to professional support, clear management practices and attention to the actual working conditions.
The Institute works with companies and employers both in specific situations and in building longer-term programmes for psychological well-being, support during severe illness, professional burnout, difficult conversations and crisis events.
Psychological support for employees
What is it?
Employees may go through periods in which life difficulties or psychological difficulties begin to noticeably affect their daily functioning.
The cause may be anxiety, loss, severe illness, family crisis, prolonged professional strain or another situation. A person may formally continue to fulfil their duties, but at the cost of significant internal tension.
Access to psychological consultation can provide a professional space outside the organisation's management structure, in which the employee can discuss their situation confidentially.
When support is provided through the employer, it is particularly important to have a clear distinction between psychological work and the assessment of work performance.
Who is it suitable for?
For organisations that want to provide their employees with access to professional psychological support.
When can it be helpful?
- during high professional strain;
- during anxiety;
- during a life or family crisis;
- after a loss;
- during severe illness;
- during prolonged exhaustion;
- during difficulties with work-life balance;
- during a significant life change;
- as part of a comprehensive employee well-being programme.
What does the psychological work include?
Individual psychological consultations and, according to needs, referral to longer-term psychotherapeutic, medical or other specialised support.
The organisation and the Institute may agree the framework of the programme in advance, without the employer receiving content from the individual consultations.
How does the first session proceed?
The employee determines for themselves the reason for seeking support. The current situation, needs and appropriate format for the work are clarified.
Format and frequency
Format
Individual, in person or online.
Duration and frequency
According to the model agreed with the organisation and the professional assessment of the specific case.
Who conducts the consultations?
Psychologists and psychotherapists from the Institute's team, depending on the nature of the request.
Important
The content of individual psychological sessions is confidential and is not provided to the employer. The organisation may receive only pre-agreed summary and anonymised information, where this is applicable and lawful.
Individual consultations during a life crisis
What is it?
A life crisis arises when a person encounters an event or change for which their usual ways of coping are no longer sufficient.
This may be a separation, divorce, illness, loss, family change, serious conflict, financial insecurity or another situation that disrupts the previous sense of stability.
Crisis is not a diagnosis. It may be a temporary period of intense psychological tension, in which a person needs space to organise what is happening, make decisions and restore their sense of ground.
Work functioning also often changes – concentration decreases, fatigue appears, a person may become more irritable or find it difficult to perform their tasks at the same pace.
Who is it suitable for?
For employees going through a significant life change or crisis period.
When can it be helpful?
- during a separation or divorce;
- after a loss;
- during a family crisis;
- during severe illness of a loved one;
- during a serious personal change;
- during a sudden change in life circumstances;
- when a person finds it difficult to concentrate on work;
- when experiencing a loss of control or direction.
What does the psychological work include?
Assessment of the current situation, emotional reactions, available resources and the practical decisions that need to be made.
How does the first session proceed?
The employee presents the specific event and its impact on their life and functioning.
Format and frequency
Format
Individual.
Duration and frequency
Usually short-term psychological support, and if necessary longer-term psychotherapy may be offered.
Who conducts the consultations?
A psychologist or psychotherapist from the team.
Important
In cases of severe mental state, immediate risk or suicidal thoughts, urgent clinical and, if necessary, psychiatric help is required.
Support for an employee with a severe illness
What is it?
Receiving a diagnosis of an oncological, chronic or other severe illness can, within a short time, change almost all areas of a person's life.
Alongside the medical issues come fears about work, income, absences, professional identity and how colleagues and managers will react.
Some people want to maintain their usual work pace as much as possible. Others need to temporarily reduce their workload. There is no single correct model, and psychological work must take into account both the state of health and the significance that work holds for the particular person.
Support can help the employee think about their own boundaries, communication with the employer, and the changes that the illness brings to their identity and daily life.
Who is it suitable for?
For employees living with an oncological, chronic or other significant illness.
When can it be helpful?
- immediately after the diagnosis;
- during active treatment;
- when prolonged absences are needed;
- during fear about their professional future;
- during difficulty talking to the employer;
- when feeling that they must work "as before" despite physical limitations;
- during anxiety about colleagues' reactions;
- during return to work after treatment.
What does the psychological work include?
Work on psychological adaptation to the illness, professional identity, communication with the work environment, boundaries and realistic planning of workload.
If necessary, psychosocial guidance regarding employment and social matters may also be included, within the scope of professional competence.
How does the first session proceed?
The medical situation is discussed to the necessary extent, along with the attitude towards work, current difficulties and expectations for the coming months.
Format and frequency
Format
Individual.
Duration and frequency
According to the stage of the illness and the needs.
Who conducts the consultations?
A psychologist or psychotherapist with competence in medical psychology, psycho-oncology and work with severe illness.
Important
The psychologist does not determine the employee's medical work capacity and does not replace the conclusions of the treating physicians or the competent authorities.
How can an employer support an employee with cancer or a chronic illness?
What is it?
Managers and human resources specialists often want to support an employee with a severe illness, but are afraid of saying or doing something inappropriate.
They may hesitate about how much to ask, what to tell the team, whether to propose a change in workload, and how to talk about absences and return to work.
Extremes are equally problematic. Excessive distancing can leave the person feeling that their illness is an uncomfortable topic. Excessive intrusion into their personal space can violate their autonomy and confidentiality.
Consultation helps to find a professional position that respects both the person, their rights and the actual needs of the work process.
Who is it suitable for?
For employers, HR specialists, direct managers and executives.
When can it be helpful?
- when an employee reports a serious diagnosis;
- during prolonged treatment;
- when the work needs to be adapted;
- when there is difficulty about what to tell colleagues;
- during return after sick leave;
- when the illness progresses;
- when uncertain how to conduct the conversation about work capacity;
- when support for the whole team is needed.
What does the consultative work include?
Discussion of the specific situation, communication with the employee, the boundaries of confidentiality, adaptation of the work process and preparation of the team.
How does the first session proceed?
The employer presents the situation without unnecessary disclosure of sensitive medical data and formulates the specific questions.
Format and frequency
Format
Consultation with a manager, HR specialist or management team.
Duration and frequency
One or several sessions depending on the situation.
Who conducts the consultation?
A specialist with competence in medical psychology, psycho-oncology and organisational work.
Important
Support does not mean that the employer becomes the employee's therapist or physician. Medical information belongs to the person and should be handled only to the extent necessary and lawful.
Support with returning to work after a severe illness
What is it?
Returning to work after a severe illness is often presented as a sign that life is returning to normal. For the person themselves, however, this transition can be significantly more complex.
After treatment, fatigue, pain, concentration difficulties, changes in the body, anxiety, fear of relapse or a different sense of one's own priorities may remain.
Colleagues may expect the person to be "as before", while the person themselves may strive to immediately prove that the illness has not changed them. This can lead to excessive strain.
A well-organised return treats the transition as a process, not a single date.
For whom is it suitable?
For employees after oncological or other severe treatment and for the organisations to which they are returning.
When can it be helpful?
- before the first working day;
- during a phased return;
- when there is a need to change duties;
- in cases of fatigue or cognitive difficulties;
- in cases of anxiety about meeting colleagues;
- when the person does not wish to discuss their illness;
- when the manager does not know how to organise support;
- when there is a need to review the adjustment after the first weeks.
What does the psychological work involve?
Preparation of the employee, consultation with the employer where agreed and with clear boundaries, discussion of workload, communication and realistic expectations.
How does the first session proceed?
The employee's expectations and fears, current functioning, and the upcoming work context are clarified.
Format and frequency
Format
Individual work with the employee and, if necessary, a separate organisational consultation.
Duration and frequency
Usually several sessions around the return period and follow-up.
Who conducts the consultations?
Specialists experienced in medical psychology, psycho-oncology and psychosocial adjustment following illness.
Important
Psychological support does not determine the permissible physical workload or medical fitness for a specific job. This falls within the remit of the relevant medical specialists and competent procedures.
Support for a team following the death or serious illness of a colleague
What is it?
When a member of the work team becomes seriously ill or dies, the event affects not only their close friends within the organisation.
Anxiety, sadness, a sense of injustice, fear for one's own health, or difficulty continuing daily work in a place strongly associated with the absent colleague may arise.
In the case of serious illness, there may also be a prolonged period of uncertainty – what should be said, whether contact should be maintained, and how the team should respond to the changing condition.
After a death, managers may also hesitate over whether to talk about what has happened or to quickly return the team to its usual rhythm.
For whom is it suitable?
For work teams following the serious illness or death of a colleague.
When can it be helpful?
- in the case of sudden death;
- in the case of death following a prolonged illness;
- in the case of serious illness of a key team member;
- when people are strongly affected;
- in the case of feelings of guilt;
- when the event activates other personal losses;
- in the case of tension around the way the organisation has responded;
- when the loss needs to be acknowledged in an appropriate manner.
What does the psychological work involve?
A group session for the team and, if necessary, individual support for more severely affected employees. Consultation may also be provided to managers regarding communication.
How does the first session proceed?
First, the context, the team's closeness to the person, and the current reactions are clarified. Participation in a psychological session should not be forced.
Format and frequency
Format
Team and/or individual work.
Duration and frequency
One or several sessions depending on the situation.
Who conducts the work?
Psychologists and psychotherapists with competence in loss, grief and crisis interventions.
Important
Grief should not be turned into a mandatory corporate process. Different people may be affected in different ways and have the right to a different degree of involvement.
Psychological crisis intervention for a team
What is it?
The workplace may be affected by a sudden event – an accident, serious injury, violence, suicide, sudden death, disaster or other experience of high psychological intensity.
In the first hours and days, people's reactions can be very varied – shock, crying, insomnia, anger, intrusive images, fear, or an apparent absence of emotion.
Crisis psychological work aims to support safety, orientation and access to support. It does not aim to force all employees to immediately recount what they have experienced.
The approach is determined according to the nature of the event, the degree of exposure and the actual needs of the team.
For whom is it suitable?
For organisations following a sudden critical or potentially traumatic event.
When can it be helpful?
- after a serious workplace accident;
- after violence;
- after sudden death;
- after suicide;
- after a threatening event;
- in the case of a disaster or accident;
- when a large part of the team is directly affected.
What does the psychological work involve?
An initial assessment of needs, information about the possible reactions following a crisis event, group or individual support, and identification of people who need subsequent specialised help.
How does the first session proceed?
First, a discussion is held with the organisation's representatives regarding the nature of the event, the people affected, and the actions taken so far.
Format and frequency
Format
On-site or another suitable format depending on the situation, with the possibility of subsequent individual work.
Duration and frequency
Immediate intervention and, if necessary, follow-up over the subsequent period.
Who conducts the work?
Specialists with competence in crisis psychology and traumatic stress.
Important
In a crisis event, the first priority is physical safety, medical assistance and the actions of the competent services. Psychological intervention is part of the subsequent care, not a substitute for it.
Programmes for the prevention of professional burnout
What is it?
Burnout is not simply tiredness after a demanding week. It can develop through prolonged mismatch between the demands of the job and the resources available to the person and the organisation.
Emotional exhaustion, cynicism, withdrawal and a sense of reduced professional efficacy may be related not only to individual characteristics, but also to workload, lack of autonomy, unclear roles, conflictual management, or prolonged uncertainty.
For this reason, a programme that offers employees only relaxation techniques is not sufficient if the organisation itself continues to generate chronically unsustainable workload.
The Institute views prevention on the individual, team and organisational levels simultaneously.
For whom is it suitable?
For companies and organisations that want a systematic approach to professional exhaustion.
When can it be helpful?
- in the case of high staff turnover;
- in the case of prolonged overload;
- in the case of frequent absences;
- in the case of low motivation;
- in the case of increasing cynicism;
- in the case of conflicts;
- for teams with a high emotional workload;
- in the case of significant organisational change.
What does the work involve?
Depending on needs:
- assessment of psychosocial workload;
- individual consultations;
- work with teams;
- support for managers;
- training;
- analysis of organisational factors;
- recommendations for sustainable changes;
- follow-up.
How does the first session proceed?
The signals of a problem, the context and the goals are clarified with management. If necessary, a broader needs assessment follows.
Format and frequency
Format
Organisational programme with individual and group components.
Duration and frequency
Medium- or long-term depending on the scale of the programme.
Who conducts the programme?
Specialists with competence in psychological, clinical and organisational work.
Important
The prevention of burnout is a shared organisational responsibility. It is not correct for systematic excessive workload to be presented as a problem in employees' personal "resilience".
Training for managers on difficult conversations with employees
What is it?
Managers must hold conversations that can have a significant psychological impact – about prolonged absence, deteriorating performance, conflict, serious illness, personal crisis, change of role, or return after prolonged treatment.
Often the fear of saying something inappropriate leads either to avoidance of the conversation or to excessively formal communication.
It is not the manager's task to diagnose the employee's psychological condition or to become their therapist. However, they have an important role in creating a clear, respectful and predictable professional framework.
The training addresses how difficult conversations can be conducted without violating personal boundaries and without neglecting the human side of the situation.
For whom is it suitable?
For managers, team leaders, HR specialists and other people with a managerial function.
When can it be helpful?
When a conversation is needed:
- with an employee with a serious illness;
- in the case of prolonged absence;
- in the case of professional exhaustion;
- in the case of a significant change in behaviour;
- after a personal loss;
- in the case of conflict;
- upon return after prolonged sick leave;
- when there is a need to set a clear professional boundary.
What does the training include?
- preparation for a difficult conversation;
- active listening;
- asking appropriate questions;
- respect for personal boundaries;
- communication in the case of a strong emotional reaction;
- what is not the manager's job;
- referral to professional support;
- work with practical case studies.
How does the first session proceed?
In corporate training, the typical situations and the organisation's managerial context are discussed in advance.
Format and frequency
Format
Practical seminar or workshop.
Duration and frequency
According to the programme.
Who conducts the training?
Psychologists and other specialists experienced in professional communication and organisational context.
Important
Good managerial communication does not mean that the manager should delve into the employee's diagnosis, therapy or personal life more than is necessary for the working relationship.
Psychological safety and relationships within the team
What is it?
Psychological safety describes an environment in which a person can ask a question, express disagreement, admit a mistake, or ask for help, without a reasonable fear that they will be humiliated, punished or isolated because of the very act of speaking up.
This does not mean a workplace free of conflict, high demands or responsibility. Psychological safety does not exempt people from professional standards and does not mean that all opinions are to be accepted as equally correct.
It is related, rather, to the way the team responds to uncertainty, difference, feedback and mistakes.
Problems with psychological safety can remain hidden – the team functions formally, but people avoid asking questions, keep problems unspoken and share criticism only outside official meetings.
Who is it suitable for?
For teams and organisations that want to improve professional communication and the way they interact.
When can it be helpful?
- when there is fear of expressing a different opinion;
- in a culture of blame;
- when problems are chronically left unspoken;
- during strong internal conflicts;
- when trust is low;
- when feedback is difficult;
- after a major organisational change;
- when building a new team.
What does the psychological work include?
Assessment of relationships and communication, group meetings, work with managers and practical interventions based on the identified problems.
How does the first meeting proceed?
The specific difficulties are clarified, as well as whether the request comes from the whole team, the management or a particular part of the organisation.
Format and frequency
Format
Organisational consultation, group work and training.
Duration and frequency
Depending on the complexity of the organisational situation.
Who conducts the work?
Specialists with competence in psychological and organisational work.
Important
Psychological safety cannot be created through a one-off training if everyday management practices systematically punish open speaking.
Individual programme for the psychological well-being of the organisation
What is it?
Organisations differ significantly in size, professional culture, type of work, workload and the needs of their employees. For this reason, a ready-made package is rarely the best solution.
The individual programme begins with an assessment of the real needs and resources of the specific company. Various forms of work can then be selected – individual psychological counselling, support for managers, crisis preparedness, work with burnout, training, or specialised programmes for employees with a severe illness.
The aim is for the individual activities to form a coherent system, rather than a series of unrelated events.
An important part is defining in advance the rules of confidentiality, access to psychological support, and the way in which the organisation can evaluate the effect of the programme without receiving sensitive information about individual employees.
Who is it suitable for?
For companies that want to build a long-term model for psychological well-being according to their own needs.
When can it be helpful?
- when there is no existing system of psychological support;
- when the organisation is growing;
- after a period of significant changes;
- during periods of high professional workload;
- when support for managers is needed;
- when there is a wish to create a policy for employees with a severe illness;
- when preparedness for crisis events is needed;
- when existing one-off initiatives do not produce a sustainable result.
What does the work include?
Depending on the needs, the following may be included:
- assessment of psychosocial needs;
- individual psychological consultations;
- support in cases of severe illness;
- a return-to-work programme;
- consultation for HR and managers;
- training for difficult conversations;
- prevention of professional burnout;
- team work;
- a crisis protocol;
- support after loss;
- periodic follow-up and updating of the programme.
How does the first meeting proceed?
Representatives of the organisation describe its structure, employees, current practices, main difficulties, and expectations for the programme.
After the initial assessment, a specific model is proposed with clearly distinguished goals and forms of work.
Format and frequency
Format
Long-term organisational partnership with various individual and group components.
Duration and frequency
Determined according to the goals, scope and size of the organisation.
Who conducts the programme?
A team of specialists from the Institute, depending on the specific components.
Important
The organisational programme for psychological well-being must safeguard the voluntary nature, confidentiality and professional independence of the psychological work. It should not be used for evaluating, selecting or sanctioning employees.
Our approach to companies and employers
Psychological well-being in the workplace does not mean that employees are constantly calm, motivated and productive regardless of circumstances.
People fall ill, experience losses, go through crises, and sometimes have periods of diminished resources. At the same time, organisations have real tasks, deadlines and responsibilities. Good professional support does not deny either side.
The Institute works to create frameworks in which human vulnerability can be met professionally, without the workplace turning into a therapeutic environment.
It is equally important that individual psychological help is not used as a substitute for the necessary changes in the organisation of work.
A good organisation does not require people to leave their human life at the door of the workplace.
Care for psychological well-being has value when it is at once human, professional and organisationally responsible.