Percepção de gestores de uma Instituição Federal de Ensino Superior sobre a promoção da saúde mental no trabalho

Abstract

This study addresses innovation in the public sector, specifically focusing on people management and promoting mental health among employees at a Federal Institution for Higher Education. Workers' mental health has become a central topic of discussion and concern for many organizations. Managers are considered to play a strategic role in promoting mental health in the workplace, influencing employees' performance, engagement, and satisfaction. In this scenario, this dissertation aimed to understand the managers' perceptions of mental health promotion at work, identify aspects regarded as sources of well-being and distress affecting employee health, and also present proposals for mental health-focused activities within the institutional context. Based on the findings, four technical products were developed to integrate perspectives and practices that promote workplace mental health. The first product is a scientific article that gathers semi-structured interviews with managers at a public university. The findings can support the implementation of leadership training initiatives focused on public servant’s management and the promotion and prevention of mental health issues in the workplace. The second product is a scientific pitch, a concise and direct communication format, presenting the article's findings for social media dissemination to broaden and publicize the study’s results. The third product is a technical report on the application of a social technology, which involves organizing discussion circles with managers to encourage experience-sharing on mental health. Additionally, information was shared regarding psychosocial risk factors in the workplace and self-care strategies. The fourth product is an informational flyer on mental health and illness, offering self-care strategies and orientation on how employees can access mental health services when in need of specialized care. These products aim to provide strategies for implementing practices focused on improving emerging work processes in the field of the institution's occupational mental health. It is believed that studies and interventions related to mental health-promoting practices should be strengthened, encouraged, and expanded within the university, contributing to the improvement of employee mental health and well-being in the workplace.