Olga Itsiou, COO of DIMAND, participated in the panel discussion titled “The Invisible Burden: Mental Health and Care in the Context of Work-Life Balance,” contributing to a meaningful conversation on the contemporary challenges of balancing professional and personal life.

In an era of constant pressure and an ever-growing demand for performance and validation, mental health is often treated as an individual responsibility rather than a collective concern. How attainable is a genuine balance between work, personal obligations, and life itself? What does meaningful care look like in a world that expects us to be constantly available? And how can we foster a culture of care, awareness, and shared responsibility toward mental health and overall well-being?

She noted that “the invisible burden is often tied to the decisions people must make about their lives and career paths.” She also emphasized that “company culture is not shaped by policies, but by behavior.” Leadership, she added, must ensure open lines of communication with employees, stressing that “if the doors are not open, the game is already lost.” She further remarked that “a company cannot exist without its employees, nor employees without the company.”

Addressing the idea of balance, she explained that it is not a fixed state but an ongoing pursuit. “Balance does not exist as something permanent, it is something we aim for,” she said, adding that both small wins and periods of intense pressure are an inevitable and essential part of both professional and personal journeys.

She was joined by Irene Agapidaki, Deputy Minister of Health, Dimitra Daskalaki, General Director of Organizational Development and Communications at METRO AEBE, Vasilis Kiosses, psychologist, Victoria Nikolaidou, Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group and Effie Boura, Corporate Relations Director at Diageo. The discussion was moderated by Giannis Pantazopoulos, Editor-in-Chief of LiFO.

The “Upfront Initiative” was organized by LiFO and Tsomokos Communications, with the aim of consistently highlighting issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion in the public sphere.