When people think of first aid, they picture bandages, ice packs and emergency treatment. But one of the most important workplace emergencies often can’t be seen. Stress, burnout and other psychosocial risks affect millions of employees every year. That’s why the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project MentalHealthMatters has developed a different kind of First Aid Kit: a free digital tool that helps employers recognise risks early and build healthier workplaces before problems escalate.

“The employer should find the motivation to tackle mental health at work. But we cannot rely on every employer acting proactively. We cannot rely on their inner motivation,” says Karin Reinhold, Associate Professor in the Management of Well-being at Work at Tallinn University of Technology. That is exactly the gap experts from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland and Sweden set out to close. An online First Aid Kit makes supporting mental well-being less daunting by offering practical, easy-to-use guidance for everyday workplaces, especially in smaller businesses.

Today, the tool is already reaching the people it was designed for. It has been integrated into management and occupational safety education at Tallinn University of Technology, while labour inspectorates and occupational safety and health consultants recommend it to workplaces across Estonia. It is a reminder that creating healthier workplaces does not always require sweeping reforms: sometimes it starts with giving people the confidence to take the first step.