Executive MBA Consultancy Project at FBA: Fostering Mental Wellbeing in SMEs in the Czech Republic.

“Mental wellbeing is no longer a luxury, it’s a vital driver of business performance”.

This was the starting point for a team of MBA students from the Faculty of Business Administration at Prague University of Economics and Business. Over three months, they explored a critical and timely question: How can small/medium sized companies foster a healthy workplace and maintain performance through mental wellbeing initiatives?

Supervised by certified therapist and Czech Association for Psychotherapy member Dominika Čechová, the team approached this challenge through a combination of academic research and real-world insights.

What did the project involve?

  • A survey of over 100 employees across a range of industries.
  • In-depth interviews with HR managers from established companies operating in the Czech Republic.
  • Identification of key stressors, common barriers, and effective strategies for fostering mental health at work.

Why does this matter?

Their research highlighted significant gaps in mental health support within SMEs:

  • 17% of respondents reported that their company offers no mental health initiatives—this was particularly common in small and medium-sized enterprises.
  • Only 24% of employees feel comfortable discussing mental health issues with their managers.
  • 32% believe their company does not prioritize mental health at all.
  • While many companies provide some flexibility, few have adopted a comprehensive approach to mental wellbeing.

The Outcome: A Mental Health Toolkit for SMEs

Based on their findings, the students developed a Mental Health Toolkit – a practical guide offering low-cost and scalable recommendations tailored specifically to the needs and constraints of SMEs.

This toolkit empowers businesses to implement meaningful changes that improve employee wellbeing, enhance engagement, and boost overall company performance.

You can view the full project presentation, including their recommendations, here.

 

Executive MBA at FBA

This project is part of the core curriculum of the MBA program and illustrates how students can connect theoretical knowledge with real-world practice. Learn more about our Executive MBA program here.