A tension that has become all too familiar in HR
In many human resources departments, this has become almost routine.
An internal survey reveals persistent burnout. Managers describe teams that are “at their wits’ end”—with no open conflict, but with dwindling energy. The Works Council has raised concerns about the workload. Senior management, for its part, is waiting for specific metrics and quantifiable results.
The HR department is thus faced with a strategic question: Should it launch a new QVCT initiative? Strengthen existing programs? Or make them more structured?
There are two risks here. Either taking a multitude of inconsistent actions, at the risk of diluting our efforts; or, conversely, sticking to a purely declarative approach that does not actually transform the way work is organized.
European data underscores the scale of the challenge: by 2025, employee engagement in Europe will remain at 13%. Overall , 62% of employees worldwide are disengaged or actively disengaged (Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace 2025” study).
The question, then, is no longer whether to take action. It is how to structure a QVCT initiative that is credible over the long term, without succumbing to the temptation to make empty promises or to spread ourselves too thin.
Summary:
What is a credible QVCT initiative?
It is an initiative that is aligned with an explicit strategic goal, based on a structured assessment, underpinned by clear governance, and guided by relevant indicators. It goes beyond one-off actions to build a sustainable momentum.
How can we prevent a QVCT initiative from being perceived as merely cosmetic?
By addressing the organization of work itself, communicating transparently about the results (including any limitations), and ensuring continuity in the commitments made.
Which indicators should be prioritized?
Leading indicators related to workload, autonomy, or work intensity, supplemented by outcome indicators such as absenteeism or turnover, viewed from a multi-year perspective.
How can we integrate QVCT without creating a separate program?
By integrating it into existing HR processes: annual reviews, management training, employee mobility, and talent management.
Clarifying the vision: moving from a QVCT project to an organizational architecture
Define a clear objective: sustainable performance, compliance, attractiveness, or workplace morale?
Any credible QVCT initiative begins with a strategic clarification.
If the underlying objective remains primarily regulatory, the momentum will remain fragile. Yet the figures indicate that the stakes go far beyond mere compliance.
In France, in 2025, only 8% of employees say they are engaged, and 38% report feeling stressed. (Gallup study “State of the Global Workplace 2025”).
Engagement and stress are not peripheral factors: they influence performance, retention, and attractiveness. Clarifying the purpose means aligning workplace quality of life with the company’s core priorities.
Position QVCT within the overall strategy (rather than as a standalone HR program)
When QVCT is confined to an "HR project," it remains on the sidelines.
Employees’ exposure to psychosocial risks is directly linked to work organization, assigned objectives, and decision-making processes. Integrating QVCT into the overall strategy means recognizing that mental health in the workplace is a governance issue, not merely a social concern.
Identify the levels of intervention: individual, group, organizational
A common temptation is to focus on individual solutions (such as stress management training or support programs) without addressing the underlying organizational causes.
Mental health is not merely an individual issue. A sustainable approach combines individual interventions, collective workplace management, and structural organizational adjustments. It is in this combination that its coherence lies.
Conduct a comprehensive assessment (rather than a simple inventory)
Mapping organizational factors with a lasting impact
A social barometerprovides a snapshot. It does not necessarily provide a systemic understanding.
Data from Dares highlight the impact of organizational factors on mental health. By mapping workload, intensity, flexibility, and conflicts of values, we can move beyond a descriptive analysis to a structured understanding of the underlying causes.
Cross-referencing social data, HR metrics, and feedback from the field
It is necessary to cross-reference various types of data: HR metrics, health data, qualitative interviews, and observations of actual work. It is by putting this information into context that the assessment gains greater depth.
Identifying blind spots: invisible overload, underlying tensions, managerial gray areas
Even when they are identified, “21% of organizations consider psychosocial risks to be more difficult to manage than other occupational risks” (EU-OSHA, ESENER 2024).
Behind this challenge lie blind spots: diffuse overload, conflicting demands, or role ambiguities. The very purpose of a structural assessment is to bring these gray areas to light.
Establishing a clear and legitimate QVCT governance framework
Define roles: executive leadership, HR, managers, employee representative body, external partners
ANACT notes that “many companies still struggle to adopt QVCT tools and methods and to assess the impact of the initiatives they have implemented” (COP 2022–2025).
Clarifying roles is therefore essential to ensuring credibility. Who takes the lead? Who steers the process? Who acts as a mediator? Without clear answers to these questions, the initiative struggles to gain traction.
Establish an effective steering committee (timing, decision-making, accountability)
The QVCT 2023 Framework recommends that the "management and implementation of the process" be defined through a collaborative effort.
A steering committee should not be merely an administrative formality. It must establish a rhythm, facilitate decision-making, and ensure that decisions are properly documented. It is through this consistency that legitimacy is built.
Formulate rules for decision-making and prioritization
The "Dynamic QWL Management" tool is specifically designed to "identify the initiatives to be implemented" and to help ensure the sustainability of the initiative.
Establishing formal decision-making criteria protects the process from economic fluctuations and the impact of shifting priorities.
Prioritize and develop a realistic action plan
Assessing organizational impact versus implementation effort
With employee engagement among European workers projected to be 13% in 2025 (Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace 2025” study), the most effective strategies often involve changes to work organization and management practices.
Prioritizing involves simultaneously assessing the potential for improvement, feasibility, and strategic alignment. It is less about increasing the number of initiatives and more about choosing those that truly drive change.
Avoid the "catalog effect": choose strategies that are consistent with one another
ANACT emphasizes the importance of “actively experimenting with new ways of working” rather than simply accumulating a patchwork of initiatives.
A credible approach relies on a limited number of projects, selected for their ability to have a transformative impact.
Balancing immediate actions with fundamental changes
The QVCT 2023 Framework emphasizes the "design, test, and adjust" approach.
Quick actions, such as implementing a digital detox policy, for example, can serve as a catalyst, provided they are part of a multi-year strategy and are linked to more profound changes.
Integrating QVCT into existing HR processes
Connection to annual and performance reviews
Annual and performance reviews provide a valuable opportunity to explicitly address workload, the risks of constant connectivity, and working conditions—beyond just individual performance.
Integration with management training and psychosocial risk prevention
Training managers to manage actual workloads, identify early warning signs, and create opportunities for discussion is becoming a key strategy.
Integration into mobility, onboarding, and talent management policies
ANACT highlights the link between quality of life at work and employer attractiveness, particularly in sectors facing labor shortages.
QVCT is thus part of a comprehensive employee retention strategy, consistent with career development pathways and integration initiatives.
Implement a management system based on relevant indicators
Choose leading indicators rather than relying solely on lagging indicators
Given that “25% of organizations do not recognize the existence of psychosocial risks” (EU-OSHA 2024), relying solely on ex post indicators (such as accidents or absenteeism) appears insufficient.
Leading indicators—such as workload, autonomy, or work intensity—allow us to anticipate issues rather than simply react to them.
Measuring changes over time (multi-year approach)
The Anact COP 2022–2025 sets out specific progress indicators.
A credible approach is a long-term one, featuring indicators of resources, processes, and results that make it possible to track changes over time.
Reporting without falling into the trap of over-reporting
The "Dynamic QWL Management" tool offers a comprehensive and consistent approach.
The goal is not to accumulate dashboards, but to select a few indicators that are shared and discussed collectively. Clarity is key to fostering buy-in.
Ensuring long-term credibility: consistency, reliability, and transparency
Avoid empty promises and sudden changes in direction
In a context of ongoing disengagement, an approach perceived as merely cosmetic may exacerbate the withdrawal rather than reduce it.
Consistency over time is a key factor in credibility.
Communicate about real progress, including the challenges
The QVCT 2023 Framework emphasizes the importance of highlighting results and sharing lessons learned.
Communication is not about sugarcoating things, but about honestly reporting on progress and limitations.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement
According to ANACT, QVCT is a dynamic process that requires regular assessments and adjustments. Credibility cannot be imposed; it is built through consistency.
Anticipate the risk of losing momentum or internal resistance
Signs of an approach perceived as merely cosmetic
"Quiet quitting," as highlighted by Gallup, refers to the behavior of employees who "do not go above and beyond at work and simply stick to their job descriptions." This phenomenon can be interpreted as a subtle sign of organizational burnout. When employees perceive a gap between what is promised and the reality of their work, withdrawal becomes a silent response.
The tension between economic demands and social aspirations
Since the pandemic, the reported increase in stress has highlighted the fragility of the delicate balance.
The trade-offs between economic imperatives and social goals are becoming more delicate and require particular vigilance.
Readjust without undermining the credibility of the initial commitment
ANACT emphasizes consultation and participatory evaluation to refine approaches without undermining trust.
Readjusting doesn't mean giving up; it means clarifying your choices and staying the course.
Conclusion
Developing a credible QVCT initiative is neither a passing fad nor a mere HR project.
This is an organizational framework that is steered, evaluated, and refined over time, capable of linking sustainable performance with mental health in the workplace.
Many organizations today choose to address these issues through dedicated frameworks that integrate assessment, governance, and multi-year planning. This choice is not driven by a passing trend, but by the need to ensure that quality of life at work is a long-term commitment rather than a mere announcement.
