On Oct. 10, the World Federation for Mental Health will recognize World Mental Health Day with this year’s theme of “It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace.” Given that most adults spend somewhere between a third and half of their lives at work, it seems to be a highly relevant, if not urgent, topic.
According to the World Health Organization, globally about 12 billion working days are lost every year due to depression and anxiety, representing a financial cost of around $1 trillion. The American Psychiatric Association Foundation’s Center for Workplace Mental Health estimates that depression alone costs the U.S. economy more than $210 billion annually due to absenteeism and lost productivity.
Other research narrows the focus of the problem to employers and employees, specifically. A study by Headspace found that 77 percent of employees report that work stress has negatively impacted their physical health. This stress is often exacerbated by risk factors like inflexible hours or working environments, job insecurity, inadequate pay and conflicting demands between home and work.
Gallup found employees who feel their organizations care about their well-being are 69 percent less likely to actively search for a new job, 71 percent less likely to experience burnout, three times more likely to be engaged at work and five times more likely to recommend their company as a place to work.
Research goes on to show teams that feel their organization cares about their well-being have higher customer engagement, increased productivity and profitability, lower turnover and fewer safety incidents. Unfortunately, fewer than one in four U.S. workers believe their employers care about their well-being.
That isn’t to say that workplaces are all bad for employee mental health. In fact, Headspace found that 53 percent of employees say their work has made a positive impact by helping them find a community of people with similar backgrounds and lived experiences. Given the potential for such significant positive and negative impacts, mental health should not only matter but also should be a top priority for both employees and employers alike.
The reality, though, is that work is often difficult, with deadlines to meet, expectations to manage and an overabundance of tasks to complete. So, what can organizations, leaders and employees do to maximize that which serves to support mental health and minimize potential risks that may do the opposite?
At an organizational level, companies can create a culture where mental health is respected and prioritized by investing in things like mental health literacy programs. Embracing flexible work environments when possible, through flexible hours or work-from-home arrangements, and investing in career, social, financial, physical and community well-being resources can be beneficial.
Company leaders should have training around mental health, including things like how to recognize and respond to employees experiencing emotional distress. Developing effective communication and active listening skills, along with allowing employee autonomy, are all vital.
Employees also should take an active role in mental health literacy training opportunities and embrace a culture of open dialogue to reduce mental health stigmas. Individuals can focus on caring for their own mental health at work by doing things like taking short walking breaks throughout the day and being intentional about turning off work and limiting digital notifications after work hours. Even practicing self care outside of work can have positive carryover effects on mental health in the workplace.
Perhaps this World Mental Health Day is the perfect opportunity to take the most important steps in addressing workplace mental health. Open a dialogue. Continue the conversation. And, most importantly, listen to each other as we commit to making mental health a priority in the workplace and beyond.
Bryan Busch is a licensed mental health counselor in Cedar Rapids. He also works at Folience, the parent company of The Gazette. He can be reached at bryan.busch@thegazette.com.
