The lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing war in Europe, and constant changes in daily life have all taken a toll on mental health, increasing stress and reducing productivity. The MHM project aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises in the Baltic Sea Region create safe and supportive environments for their employees, building on workplaces’ potential to protect and promote mental health. Project partners have had numerous discussions and idea exchanges with policymakers, social partners, thematic experts and OSH professionals focused on driving meaningful change in the labour market. By proactively addressing workplace-related psychosocial risks, we can boost employee resilience and support the long-term sustainability of businesses. In Trondheim, each partner presented concrete action proposals designed to address their chosen national challenges, identified by the National Communities of Practice.

Ahead of publishing comprehensive findings about the gaps in the system and proposals to address them, one is clear – the MHM project may enter its final months but the main work is yet ahead.

The psychosocial work environment matters, and the mental health of the workforce is essential for the resilience of economies and societies. The Baltic Sea Region has unique potential for fostering healthy workplaces through transnational collaboration, owing to its longstanding tradition of partnership and many shared cultural values such as collaboration, building on trust, and equal footing. As highlighted during the MHM transnational workshop, we may be from different countries, but we are all here because of the same challenge. We thrive on sustained and open dialogue, shared learning, joint research, and coordinated action, offering resilience and continuity during shifting political landscapes. With the project entering its final phase, the momentum for transformative action is building. The MHM project partners are co-creating two main outputs. One of them is a digital toolkit primarily designed to support employers in addressing and improving the mental health of their employees. The second output of the project is a discussion paper outlining policy options, accompanied by a technical report on the current national starting points. This resource is primarily aimed at policymakers and social partners, with educational institutions, training centers, and small and medium-sized businesses as concurrent beneficiaries.

In April the project culmination event will take place in Vilnius where the partners will present the project to the NDPHS Committee of Senior Representatives and the Policy Area ‘Health’ Steering Group of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region followed by a regional and national public launch of the digital toolkit and the policy option paper. Stay tuned!

We extend our warm gratitude to the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority colleagues for hosting the 7th MentalHealthMatters project’s transnational workshop.

MentalHealthMatters receives financial support from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region and is co-funded by the European Union.