From May, all employers under the CLT model will also be held responsible for the mental health of their employees. It is what defines thelast updateof Regulatory Standard 1 (NR-1), of the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE).
The text establishes that in addition to physical risks, chemicals and biologicals, companies must also pay attention to psychosocial factors such as stress, harassment and mental exhaustion. In practice, this means that employers must identify, classify and adopt measures to prevent the impacts of these factors on the mental and physical health of workers.
The supervision of compliance with the measures will be carried out by the MT itself. In case of irregularities, the Ministry can applyfines of up to £50,000 for each offense committed,depending on the size of the company and the severity of the breach, in addition to prohibiting sectors of the business if imminent risks to worker safety are proven. In more serious situations, employers are also subject tolabor processes, judicial and criminal.
To act in accordance with the new guidelines, companies must assess the work environment not only in relation to machines and processes, but also to psychological pressure, overload and interpersonal relationships of your employees. According to Paulo Vieira, president of theFebracis, one of the largest business preparation schools in Latin America, this new moment increases the responsibility of managers to map risk factors for health at work. The changes are not just legal, but they demand concrete actions that directly impact the culture of organizations and workers, explain.
Brazil ranks fourth among the countries with the most daily sad or angry professionals in Latin America, according to a study by the consulting firm Gallup. The data indicates that 46% of respondents experience stressful situations every day. The study People at Work, conducted annually by the ADP Research Institute, it points out that 43% of professionals in the country feel uncomfortable talking about mental health at work.
For Paulo Vieira, the update of NR1 implies a significant cultural change in labor relations in Brazil. Companies will need to invest in the training of their managers and employees to enhance the emotional safety of their teams. This movement will also be positive for companies, resulting in the decrease of theturnover, increase in productivity and better organizational climate, закінчує.
The first text of NR-1 was created in 1978, with general provisions for the relationship between companies and employees that coexist within the CLT regime. The document presents guidelines for risk analysis and preventive measures for occupational health, as it guides the creation of recurring training programs. The latest update of the standard comes into effect from May 26.
