Pressure of work in mental health care is high: a large staff shortage, long waiting lists, production rate is very high, a pressure from the health insurer and a lot of time spent on administration. Not only does this have a major impact on the (mental) health of society, but also weighs heavily on the mental health of the professional. Workload is high and burn out is an increasing problem in the sector. It is therefore not surprising that employee happiness and job satisfaction are high on the agenda of HR departments in the healthcare sector. Digitization can play an important role in relieving some of the workload and increasing the happiness of professionals.

The importance of job satisfaction

The importance of job satisfaction cannot be overstated. A happy therapist is a better functioning therapist, which can lead to a smaller chance of dropping out and better care for the client. That is why it is important that we as a sector focus on sustainable employability. This means that as an employer you do everything you can to keep your employee at work as healthy and happy as possible. That is especially important in a sector such as mental health care, where the workload is high and there are already major staff shortages.

There are various ways to support mental health workers in this regard. Think of mental support in private situations, giving employees the space to grow and motivating employees to remain physically active and vital. However, reducing the workload through a change in working methods can also contribute to alleviating the workload and increasing job satisfaction. Digitization can play a major role in this.

Digitization as a boost for job satisfaction

Digitization can have a major positive effect on both therapists and clients in mental health care. Digitization and the support of data in the treatment can simplify the work process and make it more efficient. This can be done in various ways, for example by automating administrative tasks, improving (online) communication via special platforms, increasing insight for both therapist and client, increasing flexibility for the therapist and cooperation between therapists.

All these digital solutions can contribute to more efficient treatment, in which the therapist gains more flexibility, improves insight into the client’s life and progress and spends less time on administration.

Digital skills of the mental health professional

You may wonder whether everyone in the mental health sector is ready for such digitization. According to the benchmark ‘Digital skills in mental health care’, about a third of the respondents call themselves digi savvy and see themselves as competent when it comes to digital skills. About fifty percent of the respondents, the largest group, see themselves as digitally skilled and can cope well in digital environments. About twenty percent see themselves as a digital starter and could use some extra support.

Merijn van der Zalm, ICT director of GGZ Oost Brabant and Coordinator of the benchmark ‘Digital skills in mental health care’, says the following about this:

“Investing in digital skills ultimately leads to fewer frustrations because people can handle digital systems well. This leads to more job satisfaction and this in turn leads to more productive employees. Digitization of care and treatment processes, including administration, also contributes to more time for clients. A good example is the so-called ‘digital clinic’. A complete online treatment where both the waiting time and the treatment time are shorter. However, it is important that both the client and the healthcare provider are digitally skilled.”

Would you like to know more about digitization for your organization?

So, digitization can play an important role in improving both the therapist’s job satisfaction and the quality of care in mental health care. This can lead to more efficient and cost-effective mental health care. However, it is important to continue to invest in digitization and the digital skills of therapists.

Do you want to know more about what NiceDay can do for your organization in the field of digitization? Download the free white paper or request a live demo.