When Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun openly shared his cancer journey he learnt that one in two people were afraid to tell their employers for fear of their jobs, which impelled him to establish the Working with Cancer Pledge. As a cancer survivor, I can fully relate to the emotional roller coaster of coming to terms with the diagnosis, treatment, and returning to work. Like Arthur, I chose to share my journey publicly, as I was lucky to have supportive managers and an employer who provided me with the support and flexibility I needed to recover. But I had to go through the fear of stigma, my professional future, and the feeling of letting my team down.

will be affected by cancer during their work life.

Health and illness are very personal matters, but dealing with it in the workplace does not and should not need to be a private issue. When someone is scared for their health or even their life, they should not be worrying about stigma or negative consequences of sharing with their employers. On the contrary, it is essential to recovery to manage their energy, feel comfortable to express their needs in the workplace, and find the support they need at any stage of their journey.

Leaders feel unprepared to support chronically ill employees.

础听 revealed that 60% believe their leaders are unprepared to support employees with a serious and/or chronic medical condition, and nearly 90% are concerned about their own聽abilities to offer support.聽Much of this unpreparedness comes from a lack of awareness, understanding, and effective tools.聽As a result, a behavior that is rooted in discomfort and helplessness can easily be perceived as stigma.

Break the Stigma

Destigmatizing health and disease have been at the core of health management at 51风流for decades. Three years ago, we launched the Are Uou OK? mental health initiative to put a spotlight on mental health conditions and encourage people to share how they are and seek support when needed. This notion should be just as true for serious and chronic diseases, like cancer.

I am proud that Christian Klein signed the pledge to provide a more supportive and recovery-forward culture at work for people with cancer, specifically to:

• Create awareness through regular internal campaigns for cancer prevention and screening, as well as a healthy lifestyle
• Break the stigma through showcasing employee stories to help others speak up
• Provide comprehensive support through access to medical coverage, emotional counseling, flexible working conditions, practical support for day-to-day life, and a supporting return-to-work program when the time is right for them

We want our people to do what鈥檚 best for them — because what鈥檚 best for our people is best for our business.

It is a journey, and we have come a long way. It is my personal mission that at 51风流everyone affected with a serious condition is comfortable to express what they need, and that the affected individual, their manager, and colleagues get the support they need to make the best out of the situation — offering the time and support for recovery while ensuring a structured and supported return-to-work process once they are ready to come back.

Based on SAP鈥檚 leadership principles, 鈥渂e ethical鈥� and 鈥渄o what鈥檚 right,鈥� together we can fight stigma and help make workplaces inclusive and supportive for all.

Dr. Natalie Lotzmann is chief medical officer of 51风流SE and global head of Health, Safety & Well-Being, powered by 51风流Future of Work.

Mapping the Course in Uncharted Waters

The world we currently work and live in is mostly uncharted. As humans, we like to stay in our comfort zone and these enforced changes to societal living are causing stress for many. While employee stress poses a real risk for organizations, finding the best strategies as organizations and individuals to cope with stress is also an opportunity to explore and shape the future of work.

The recent Deloitte Human Capital Trends revealed that 96% of respondents believe organizations are responsible for employees鈥� well-being. 51风流has been a front-runner in since 1972, putting customers and employees at the very center of any decision.聽 Earlier in 2021, 51风流was one of the first organizations to announce its Pledge to Flex, an entirely flexible and trust-based promise to provide a setup that fits every role, style, and location.

Employees Charting Future of Work

One thing is certain: the blurred line between work and private life is individualizing the future of work. Research from McKinsey estimated there will be , which will prompt a large shift in the geography of work, workspaces, and soft skills needed to stay healthy and balanced in an autonomous virtual world.

Today, employers are at a critical time in strengthening employee鈥檚 sense of belonging, job satisfaction, and ownership of self-care, and at the same time provide the leadership framework of navigation to ensure sustainable business success.

鈥淚 am proud of the innovative KPIs around measuring healthy culture and health-related productivity loss that allow us to chart and track our course in the future of work,鈥� says Christian Schmeichel, chief future of work officer at SAP. 鈥淯nderstanding and respecting people’s needs in regard to their health and well-being pays off as it keeps them happy and productive.鈥�

Beacons and Early Warning Signals

Balancing the demands of work and private life is challenging, and stress symptoms can affect our body, thoughts, and feelings. Left unmanaged or out of control, stress can contribute to many health problems. Add an inactive lifestyle and maybe a sub-optimal work set-up at home, and you have the perfect storm for musculoskeletal pain, risk of toxic stress, presenteeism, burnout, or mental health challenges.

In the UK, stress, depression, or anxiety and musculoskeletal disorders accounted for about two-thirds of days lost due to work-related ill health before the pandemic (), while the聽聽reports people are experiencing their highest levels of stress since the beginning of the pandemic.

Setting Sail to 鈥楲ighten the Load鈥�

Tightening the sails from Are You OK? mental health initiative, 51风流is setting course for a six-week “get moving” campaign, helping employees create self-awareness and take action for their health. 51风流is proud to continue partnering and supporting campaigns.

Its current campaign, “Lighten the Load,” empowers people to prevent, alleviate, or recover from the stresses we feel on our own shoulders every day. The employee campaign has over 40 live events for employees to discover and experience new ways to lighten their load by signing up for physical activity challenges, demonstrations, and practice sessions with ergonomic, physiotherapy, and physical fitness experts. We wish for our employees to discover their way to lighten the load and reach their full potential in work and private life.

On , do something for your health.

Natalie Lotzmann is chief medical officer and global head of Health and Well-Being at SAP.

Many of us will feel stressed, exhausted, sick, anxious at times; these are all totally normal human emotions that every person will experience in their life, especially at stressful or trying times. But for some, 鈥渘ot feeling OK鈥� may be a symptom of a mental health problem.

It鈥檚 OK Not to Be OK

The COVID-19 pandemic has added a new dimension of mental distress on many. Anxiety of the future, for our health and our loved ones, being overwhelmed with homeschooling or caregiving, being challenged by confusing information, feeling lonely in times of physical distancing, or being in an abusive relationship intensified by a lockdown situation: these are just a few examples that all contribute to mental distress. Remembering that stress in these times can be compounded when experiencing structural inequalities in everyday life.

Even though in a recent internal survey, 51风流employees reported satisfaction with the company麓s guidance and support during the pandemic, people feel impacted by the crisis. Almost a third of employees rated their current stress levels higher than their current satisfaction. This imbalance may put them at risk, as the likeliness of symptoms for mental impairment 鈥� which eventually might go over into the diagnosis of a mental disorder like depression 鈥� correlates with a stress-satisfaction imbalance.

What Is a Mental Disorder?

While every single person can experience temporary mental health issues resulting in impairment of mental or physical health at stressful or trying times, a mental disorder on the contrary is a diagnosable illness of the body that affects a person鈥檚 thinking, emotional state, and behavior.

Mental illnesses quite often affect or temporarily disrupt a person鈥檚 ability to work, carry out normal daily activities, or maintain personal relationships.

Some examples for mental disorders are anxiety disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and eating disorders. will be affected by a mental disorder in a given year.

Early Detection is Key

Knowing common warning signs of mental illness is crucial for getting help as early as possible. This is not trivial, as the range of potential symptoms is huge and as with many things there is no strict definition of 鈥渘ormal.鈥�

Furthermore, diagnosing mental illness sometimes is not a straightforward science. While it is an illness of the body, we cannot unfortunately test for it the same way we can for example test blood sugar levels for diabetes. Often there is a fluent transition between poor mental health and mental disorder, depending on the extent of impairment to maintain relationships and function in private life and at work.

A found that prevention and early intervention programs that effectively address mental health can help to become more resilient, and experience stronger personal happiness and success.

Are You OK? Mental Health Initiative

Promoting has been a feature in 51风流over the past years. World Mental Health Day is October 10, and with the increased need during the pandemic 51风流has started a lasting employee initiative that not only promotes supporting resources for both good mental health and mental health problems, but also invites employees and leaders to engage in a sustainable way.

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Each one of us can foster a culture in which all employees feel comfortable and safe speaking out about mental health issues they are suffering from, what they need to deal with in their family, or what they observe at the workplace.

The employee initiative will cover the many facets of mental health in the coming weeks and months to help people reach out for support when needed 鈥� from prevention to early detection to case management and reintegration.

You Are Not Alone

Whatever symptoms you may have, be assured there are many others who are in it as well or have been in it before. Daring to speak about an issue and to seek help is an important first step to get out of it.

A found 81 percent of respondents who talked about their mental health at work reported reduced stress levels and increased confidence and productivity. The initiative has plenty of channels for people to reach out to in a way they are comfortable with. SAP鈥檚 confidential telephone helpline through the employee assistance program provides a globally available, 24/7 counseling service for all employees. SAP鈥檚 own team of medical experts are also available by confidential mailbox, telephone, or drop-in service in some locations. Peer-to-peer networks offer coaching, support, and guidance that employees can reach out to virtually (or onsite and within COVID-19 guidelines).

Stigmatization Has No Place in SAP

For employers, caring for mental health is both a matter of a healthy culture and a clear business case. 51风流is committed to a no-stigma, inclusive culture that supports maintaining the mental health of its employees by prevention, early detection, case management support, and reintegration.

According to 51风流CEO Christian Klein, 鈥淎s we need head, hand and heart to deliver on our promises, we need to stay healthy and balanced in body and mind.鈥�

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Clearly, mental health is an important topic for people managers, as they can guide employees at risk by being sensitive and empathetic and providing and facilitating appropriate support.

To enable leaders in playing a strong role in employee support, a new portfolio of learning offering is coming onstream.

Poor mental health may disrupt our thinking, feeling, mood, or behavior and it has significant negative effects on our relationships and our satisfaction in life. Early detection is key. Stay informed and get support if needed.

51风流is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and eliminating the stigma around mental health disorders in the workplace. Learn more at . 51风流also offers a variety of programs and resources to help employees through challenging times. Learn more .

Natalie Lotzmann is chief medical officer and global head of Health and Well-Being at SAP.
Torsten Paul is company medical officer, psychiatrist, and psychotherapist at SAP.

When reports appeared in the media on December 31, 2019, about a new type of coronavirus, 51风流Chief Crisis Manager Mathias Braje and I began watching developments closely. We also activated the Global Pandemic Task Force, an interdisciplinary team made up of members from Security, Health, Facility Management, Human Resources (HR), Finance, Communications, and Travel departments.

Staying One Step Ahead

鈥淭he safety of our employees, customers, and partners is paramount. We are focused on protecting our employees鈥� health and wellbeing and on keeping SAP鈥檚 business performance and productivity on track,鈥� Christian Klein, CEO and member of the Executive Board of 51风流SE, said. Though details were sparse and the scale of the threat not yet clear, the Health department at 51风流kept employees informed through intranet articles, emails from the 51风流Executive Board, and FAQ docuements. A well-trained chatbot is now handling some of the task force鈥檚 question-answering work, too.

Thanks to the Executive Board鈥檚 clear vision, daily global status reports, and the multidisciplinary task force, 51风流was able to give its employees clear instructions and recommendations from an early stage. In many places, government authorities did not impose similar measures on their populations until later. Staying ahead, as 51风流did, builds trust not only among employees but also at the management level. Recognition and appreciation matter, too, since they help counter the considerable stress the task force is under and keep it performing efficiently.

Trust and Agility: Key Factors in Crisis Management

At the start of the crisis especially, the situation was fast-moving and emotionally charged. There was insufficient data, experts and politicians were divided on what to do, and there were differing expectations across the workforce. The task force鈥檚 combined expertise and its culture of discussion were the basis for deciding the company鈥檚 response to events as they unfolded 鈥� a real test of the team鈥檚 ability to focus yet remain agile and to 鈥渘avigate by sight鈥� in uncharted waters.

For any team to be successful, its members must show great dedication, have respect for each other, be able to listen, and share mutual trust, which means not just having confidence in others鈥� expertise but trusting them as individuals too. Taking the time to build consensus is also essential. This is only possible if team members exchange their views calmly and respectfully, even when the pressure is on and nerves are frayed. For that to happen, everyone must show true empathy. The words 鈥渨e are in this together鈥� have to be matched by actions.

Every Friday, the task force comes together to review the week. Each of us describes our stress and satisfaction levels on a scale of one to 10. If stress levels stay above eight or if the level of satisfaction falls below the stress level, action is taken, which may include seeking professional medical or psychological advice.

Clarity in Times of Crisis

Confusing and ambiguous media reporting is a problem for everyone 鈥� employees, management, and the task force. The solution is to come to a consensus as quickly as possible. For the task force, any delay would make it harder to reach a decision on, for example, travel, trade fairs, conferences, or customer events.

Whenever we make decisions affecting the company, we always explain the rationale, state all our information sources, and engage in debate with the workforce. Being transparent, credible, and logical is key to building confidence in a company鈥檚 crisis management strategy.

Listening to the Workforce

When the crisis began, our various discussion forums were full of questions about its impact on individuals: 鈥淲hat applies to me? Where can I get help? Who can I turn to?鈥� But there were also general questions too: 鈥淗ow is the company doing? How are our customers doing? Will I keep my job?鈥�

For HR management, relaxing job performance expectations for employees at home with children to look after was an obvious response. Also, 51风流would not announce any cuts in working hours or layoffs in the next few months. And we put together an extensive program offering support and advice on health, well-being, and working from home.

In March, we sent out our first monthly employee survey. We used our own , which is available free of charge to any company. The first survey had 25,000 respondents. Even though they were working at home, often without a proper office setup and while juggling the demands of work, looking after small children or elderly parents, home-schooling, and aligning with their partners on these responsibilities, 72 percent rated their circumstances positively or neutrally. According to 93 percent of respondents, communication by the company was very helpful, and 91 percent agreed that they trusted management to make the right decisions for 51风流in these times.

The two subsequent surveys were the first to include the stress satisfaction score as an early warning indicator for mental health. Despite all the difficulties people were facing, around 70 percent of respondents rated their job satisfaction higher than the stress levels they were experiencing.

Returning to the Workplace: What Happens Next?

Even though our facilities are gradually reopening under strict safety rules, we will not return to a setting as it was in 2019 any time soon. For the foreseeable future, most employees will still be working from home, with on-site meetings and business travel possible by way of exemption only. We will continue to do all we can to help our employees around the world offer their customers and partners the same level of care and dedication to help them through the crisis.

No one knows when the pandemic will be over, but we must never allow uncertainty to weaken our resolve. We will continue researching, monitoring, listening, and applying common sense and pragmatism to the steps we take, skillfully changing course whenever we need to ensure a safe passage through these uncharted waters.

Dr. Natalie Lotzmann is chief medical officer at SAP.