MBA Student Project at FBA: Fostering Mental Wellbeing in SMEs in the Czech Republic

As part of a practical Consulting Project, our MBA students developed a set of recommendations to support mental health in small and medium-sized enterprises. The project shows that even small changes can have a big impact—not only on employees but also on the overall performance of a company. Businesses that actively focus on mental well-being gain a competitive edge in recruitment, employee retention, and productivity.

Mental health is no longer a “nice to have.” It’s a foundation of performance.
This was the starting point for a team of students from the MBA program at the Faculty of Business Administration, Prague University of Economics and Business. Over the course of three months, they tackled a topic that resonates in every company today—how to create an environment where employees feel psychologically well while simultaneously supporting organizational performance. The project was supervised by Dominika Čechová, a certified therapist and member of the Czech Association for Psychotherapy.

What did they explore?

  • They conducted a survey with more than 100 employees across various industries.

  • They held in-depth interviews with HR managers from both large and smaller companies.

  • They identified the main stressors, common barriers, and effective strategies for supporting mental health.

 

Why does this matter?

Their research revealed that:

  • 17% of respondents said their company offers no mental health initiatives. These were employees from small and medium-sized enterprises.
  • Only 24% feel comfortable discussing mental health with their manager.
  • 32% believe their company does not prioritize mental health at all.
  • Although most companies offer flexibility, they lack a comprehensive approach.

 

The students created a “Mental Health Toolkit,” offering practical and low-cost measures tailored for small and medium-sized businesses. 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.