Mental health at work

When the organization becomes part of the problem

The data is becoming increasingly clear.

Work-related mental health disorders are rising, particularly in so-called “office” professions: chronic stress, burnout, anxiety disorders, cognitive fatigue.

This observation raises questions, as these jobs are not physically dangerous.
And yet, they are psychologically demanding.

To understand this paradox, we need to look at how we work, not just how much we work.

Office work : less physical strain, more mental strain

Over the decades, a large part of the work has shifted :

• towards cognitive activities
• towards coordination, planning, reporting
• towards highly standardized and interconnected environments

This type of work relies on :

• continuous attention

• managing multiple priorities simultaneously

• deadline pressure

• dependence on numerous processes and approvals

👉 The body is less strained, but the brain never really disconnects.

A disturbing parallel : Organizational Sabotage

During World War II, an internal document from the former OSS (predecessor of the CIA) described techniques of organizational sabotage designed to slow down enemy administrations.

Among these techniques :

•  multiply approval levels
• create complex procedures
• prioritize compliance over efficiency
• organize meetings without clear decisions
• overload administrative circuits

What is striking is that many modern organizations operate today according to these same principles… unintentionally.

Not out of malice.
But through an accumulation of rules, controls, tools, and good intentions.

Frustration, Overperformance Culture, and Unrealistic Expectations

In this context, employees are faced with a double message :

• “Be efficient, agile, and committed.”
• “Follow cumbersome, sometimes inconsistent, and hardly debatable processes.”

This contradiction creates: 

• frustration
• a feeling of powerlessness
• a loss of meaning
• chronic mental fatigue

Performance then becomes a battle against the system, rather than an effort focused on real value.

Over time, this constant tension pushes some people to the limits of their mental health.

The problem is not the requirement… It is the inefficiency

It is important to state this clearly : ambitious goals are not the core issue.

What exhausts people is :

• working hard without being able to work effectively
• compensating for poorly designed processes
• spending more time justifying than acting
• being evaluated on results without having the necessary levers to achieve them

👉 Organizational inefficiency is a major source of invisible stress.

How can organizations avoid being part of the problem ?

But they can reduce their share of unintended harm.

• eliminate steps with no added value
• clarify responsibilities and decision-making authority
• limit automatic and redundant validations

• regularly ask: what is this reporting actually for?

• reduce document production to what is strictly necessary

• prioritize clarity over excessive traceability

• allow teams to adapt rules when they obstruct real work

• acknowledge systemic problems, not only individual ones

• adjust expectations to operational realities

• accept that not everything can be continuously optimized

Responsibility should be collective rather than moral

Responsibility should be collective rather than moral.
This is not about assigning blame.
It is about recognizing that organizations have a direct impact on mental health, even without negative intent.

As work becomes increasingly cognitive, prevention cannot rely solely on stress management or resilience training.

It also requires asking a simple, yet demanding question:

Does the way we operate help people do their jobs well…
or does it force them to fight against the system?

Reducing mental suffering at work sometimes begins with something very concrete:
doing less, but doing it better, together jobs well… or does it force them to fight against the system?

Reducing mental suffering at work sometimes starts with something very concrete:
doing less, but doing it better – together.