"Health is everyone's business."
My name is Anne-Sophie Duval. I am in charge of the Future of Work Competence Center at Capgemini. Capgemini is a digital services company and a global leader in its field. It currently has around 35,000 employees in France and supports companies in their transformation by providing expertise in innovation, research and development, and new technologies.
How has the perception of mental health evolved at Capgemini?
Mental health is an issue that has been a priority for companies and our organization for a number of years. That said, we have really seen a shift in how this issue is addressed since the health crisis. There has been a clear before and after the health crisis, which has exacerbated certain risks and even created new ones, making mental health a real issue within companies.
At Capgemini, this has led over the years to the expansion of our prevention measures, but above all to the recognition that prevention is essential for preventing psychosocial risks within the company.
Why is mental health a strategic issue for Capgemini?
Mental health is a major issue for HR, as it directly affects performance, talent retention, and the quality of the social climate. In a context of continuous transformation, regular teleworking, and constantly evolving professional challenges, employees may be increasingly exposed to psychosocial risks.
The goal of human resources is therefore to anticipate and prevent psychosocial risks as early as possible and to create a healthy, inclusive, and supportive work environment.
This is strategic because an employee in good mental health is a more committed and creative employee. Psychosocial risks can lead to increased absenteeism, disengagement among teams, and even impact the attractiveness and retention of talent. And today, employees are no longer just looking for a job and a salary, but also a caring, healthy, and inclusive work environment.
What actions are you taking to raise awareness of mental health at Capgemini?
For many years now, Capgemini has been implementing measures to help employees take care of their physical and mental health. This involves a range of actions, including:
- mental health training for all employees;
- targeted training courses, rolled out this year for managers, to equip them with the skills to handle difficult situations;
- awareness-raising events, for example on burnout or addiction.
We also have a platform called the Wellbeing Hub, a group platform that provides employees with a range of content on health and wellbeing.
We have also chosen to adopt an approach that is less focused on risk and more on overall health management, with a more positive focus on sport, as we know that being physically healthy also has a positive impact on mental health. We are therefore rolling out a partnership with a sports challenge app, which allows us to personalize programs and build team cohesion.
We also work regularly with our trade unions, implementing joint initiatives focused on quality of life at work, particularly mental health.
Finally, more broadly, at the group level, there may be global awareness campaigns rolled out across the entire group, and, most recently, the creation of the Future of Work department in the group's countries, which aims in particular to roll out all well-being initiatives within those countries.
What impact have these actions had on your teams and your management culture?
They have had a real impact on the culture of prevention and team cohesion.
We also work hard to promote mental health as an issue of performance, growth, and strategy.
We measure the impact of our actions by tracking various indicators, such as absenteeism rates and a monthly barometer that addresses the issue of well-being in the workplace. This barometer allows us to monitor developments and take into account employees' comments and feedback on the measures we implement.
How do you feel about the growing importance of mental health in HR and management discussions at Capgemini?
Iam delighted that mental health is becoming a more prominent topic in HR and management discussions. This indicates that more people are recognizing the value of having employees with good mental health in the workplace.
It also demonstrates that it is no longer considered a sign of weakness and that everyone is able to discuss and share their challenges.
What message would you like to convey to your peers or leaders?
IfI had one message to convey, it would be to view mental health as an opportunity for growth. Our actions are not only benevolent, they are strategic and enable us to bring about lasting change in management culture and innovation capacity.
Our initiatives are changing the culture: people are speaking more freely, weak signals are being picked up more quickly, and, above all, action is being taken sooner.
Mental health has become a real pillar of HR, on a par with mobility and diversity.
What would be your motto for promoting mental health in the workplace?
Mymotto for advancing mental health in the workplace is collective responsibility. Today, health is everyone's business. It is not solely the responsibility of managers, but of everyone in the company.
Other HR leaders shared the transformation they are bringing about in their companies. Discover the interviews conducted in 2025, the common dynamics observed, and our recommendations for action in our latest book: Perspectives from 10 HR leaders on mental health.
