The sound alert signals the arrival of yet another message via WhatsApp, and it doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing at the moment; the call to look at the cell phone screen is stronger.

Isn't that how it works? And it’s no use blaming the app for this behavior. We live in a hyper-connected world, with an excess of information at our disposal. As a result, a sense of urgency has normalized, provoking a state of hypervigilance and, consequently, anxiety, stress, depression, among other psychosocial risks!

Whoever sends a message via WhatsApp imagines that the receiver is available to respond immediately, and when the reply is not quick or the dialogue does not flow, the sender becomes irritated, and tensions begin to rise.

At work, this situation is even more serious, as not engaging immediately after receiving a message via WhatsApp represents disinterest, lack of commitment, responsibility, inattentiveness, among other negative traits.

Read also: Why separate personal WhatsApp from corporate?

‘WhatsApp phobia’: yes, you might have this symptom!

The sense of urgency created by the need to respond to a message instantly via WhatsApp, especially in the workplace, activates anxiety processing in the brain and triggers other responses: impulsivity, insecurity, fear of rejection, fear of judgment, and irritability.

These symptoms, when recurrent, can lead to chronic states of panic, depression, and burnout, conditions that account for a significant portion of the absenteeism of professionals in companies. In the medical field, the anxiety caused by WhatsApp has a name: ‘WhatsApp phobia’.

The International Stress Management Association of Brazil (ISMA-BR) estimates that 30% of the Brazilian population suffers from Burnout and that 30 million professionals in the labor market have some adverse mental health condition.

Read also: Burnout: disease of the decade?

There is even a regulatory standard, NR-01, which sets out the general rules for occupational risk management in Brazil and defines the responsibilities and obligations of employers and oversight agencies.

The standard is being updated in Brazil and will become mandatory in corporations in May 2025, and compliance will be overseen by the Ministry of Labor.

Companies must implement plans for managing psychosocial risks and adopt measures to ensure the psychological safety of employees. Otherwise, employers will be subject to fines, compensation, and legal actions.

Healthy professional, profitable company!

Dynamic, intense environments focused on scalable growth and constant innovation can generate pressure for results and, consequently, establish tight deadlines and long working hours. All this inevitably leads to mental and emotional exhaustion of employees.

Limiting interactions via WhatsApp between leaders and managers with their teams, especially outside of working hours, can be the first step to relieve tension for both the team and individuals. This is a feasible strategy thanks to the monitoring of corporate WhatsApp, carried out by Zapper.

Zapper is a solution that supervises conversations occurring on WhatsApp accounts and devices used by the company to detect communication issues among users, such as deviations of conduct, abusive use of authority, use of inappropriate language, harassment, bullying, and even mapping conversations that occur after hours.

Read also: Corporate WhatsApp monitoring is an effective tool against harassment in companies

These behaviors, when identified, generate notifications to the person responsible for communication, enabling appropriate measures to be taken. All monitored content is automatically saved in the cloud, with absolute confidentiality, limited access, and for an indefinite period.

The stored material can be accessed during future consultations and for generating reports by the platform itself, which will guide the company's initiatives regarding the well-being of its employees and their psychological safety.

At a time when the mental health care of professionals also becomes the responsibility of organizations, creating a strong culture that empowers managers and employees to cope with everyday emotional challenges is essential to keep individuals motivated and productive.

Schedule a demonstration of the Zapper tool now

Mental health in companies, how to go beyond?

In Brazil, there is a company that acts as a corporate mental health benefit, Guia da Alma. It is a service that assists in the implementation of risk management programs in corporations. (They even produced some really cool content talking about NR-01). The model of this program provides for an inventory of occupational risks and a plan of actions with deadlines, responsible parties, and ways of monitoring.

In this regard, Guia da Alma provides the support to put the action plan into practice, and for this, it offers psychological care and emotional support, provides content for prevention, and a platform with resources and follow-up data. Zapper has already adopted this proposal and receives support from Guia in its journey with its employees.

With this combination of well-being initiatives and the adequate and intelligent use of WhatsApp, your company will position the employee where they belong: as a priority. In turn, everyone will grow together!

Click here to schedule a demonstration of the tool.