Promoting career management, mental health and engagement among young workers with group interventions

Introduction  As newcomers of working life are most vulnerable to turnover, successful adjustment is important for their well-being and future career. Knowledge about effective ways to enhance young employees'' social resources and support at work so that it contributes to their well-being, consolidation of work and family life and successful socialization to work life is of high importance for themselves, for organizations and for the society. In research on career transitions and their effects on health, return of young mothers to work after family leave has earlier been neglected. Return to work means reorganization of everyday life consisting of family life and paid work. Workplaces would benefit good practices to promote return to work and better career management and work/family balance of those returning. It has been shown by previous intervention studies that transitions from one life sphere to another can be promoted through enhancement of self-efficacies related to these transitions and strengthening inoculation against setbacks through active learning in reference groups.    

Methods  A preventive peer group method was developed at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and applied in work life context. The effects of the intervention were investigated in a randomly assigned field experimental study (RCT study) during 2006 - 2011 in 17 organizations, involving 718 participants.    

Results  The results showed that the group intervention was effective in increasing mental resources and reducing symptoms of depression among employees from different sectors in a 7-month follow-up. Group activities were especially beneficial for younger group participants.    

Discussion  It is likely that young women returning to work after family leaves would benefit these group activities. The implementation of the method will be piloted at maternity health centres. The experiences and their implications for planning practices for supporting return to work after family leaves will be discussed.