GERMANY: Protecting the mental health of workers during the pandemic

How can the psychological constraints to which workers are exposed during the coronavirus pandemic be identified and dealt with effectively?

The intensification of work, existential distress, the shift to teleworking and the constant fear of infection put many workers under great psychological pressure. To help employers and safety managers to preserve and improve the health of employees, beyond protecting them from infection, the DGUV has published two guides:

• one deals with psychological stress and the pressure on healthcare workers in particular;
• the other, intersectoral, compares in a checklist possible risks and recommended protective measures. It is a practical tool that gives employers and health and safety managers advice on how best to protect their staff.