“Finally, something for us!” That was how employees at Kofoedsminde reacted when the foundation course in strain psychology became mandatory, according to Development Consultant Camilla Blak Due. The work involves high emotional demands and a risk of violence, and in the past, there had been an expectation that this was simply something employees had to be able to cope with. So it made a difference that everyone was now required to set aside time to address the strains of the job. “So, you really do take our work environment seriously,” was one of the responses, she recalled.

But how do you get everyone on board in a busy working day? At Kofoedsminde, each of the 12 department managers had a coordinator who kept the process on track and helped facilitate the conversations. “The advantage of the course is that it speaks to everyone. It is easy to engage with and reflect on together,” she explained. Employees gained a shared language for what they were experiencing and could draw on situations from their own working day.

And the conversations continued after the module had ended. In the following weeks, the departments provided feedback on the issues they felt needed further attention. In this way, employees’ experiences helped shape the direction of the ongoing work. “The employees felt that they themselves were creating the cultural change,” she said.

And the work at Kofoedsminde is not finished. Next year, everyone will learn more about crisis psychology and psychological first aid, helping them become even better at supporting one another when serious incidents occur at work.