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Working individuals need to be sufficiently healthy (physically AND mentally) to perform their tasks
A mentally healthy work environment is promoting for mental health and decreases the risk of developing common mental disorders, especially depression and anxiety
We spend most of our lives at work and work in and by itself can prevent us from developing mental disorders.
However, a mentally unhealthy working environment - that is, one that is loaded with stress and poor managerial and organizational practices which affect the mental health of staff - can increase the risk of mental disorders, especially depression, anxiety disorders, or substance use disorders.
Furthermore, a mentally unhealthy working environment through its impact on staff, can increase staff absenteeism and turnover and cause low productivity levels, all in all translating into major economic losses . For example, staff turnover is particularly expensive for employers because it leads to the loss of valuable talents and entails both recruitment and retraining costs
It is a false assumption that mental ill-health is just caused by issues in one’s personal life. In fact, in most cases, a combination of factors, including risk factors we face at work and outside work can lead to a mental disorder.
Evidence demonstrates that many of the risk factors for mental health (i.e. factors that can increase the likelihood that mental ill-health will develop) may be present in the work environment.
Undeniably, some factors are inherent to certain professions, for instance high stress among law enforcement; but many of the risk factors are modifiable in any environment. When work environment is improved by addressing risk factors , not only does this decrease the risk of poor mental health, this can also contribute to increasing protective factors for mental health.
Examples of risk Factors |
Examples of protective Factors |
| Poor managerial and organizational practices. | Effective communication channels and style. |
| High work demands. | Acceptable workload |
| Long or inflexible working hours | Flexible working hours |
| Poor communication and management practices. | Fair and supportive and empowering leadership |
| Limited participation in decision-making or low control over one’s area of work. | Feeling of control over time and demands and participation in decision-making |
| Poor social interactions. | A positive social environment |
| Lack of appreciation and effort-reward imbalance | Recognition of effort and fair reward |
| Unclear tasks or organizational objectives | Clear organizational goals and defined roles and responsibilities of employees |
| Lack or poor health and safety policies | A culture where positive mental health is promoted |
Examples of risk Factors |
| Poor managerial and organizational practices. |
| High work demands. |
| Long or inflexible working hours |
| Poor communication and management practices. |
| Limited participation in decision-making or low control over one’s area of work. |
| Poor social interactions. |
| Lack of appreciation and effort-reward imbalance |
| Unclear tasks or organizational objectives |
| Lack or poor health and safety policies |
Examples of protective Factors |
| Effective communication channels and style. |
| Acceptable workload |
| Flexible working hours |
| Fair and supportive and empowering leadership |
| Feeling of control over time and demands and participation in decision-making |
| A positive social environment |
| Recognition of effort and fair reward |
| Clear organizational goals and defined roles and responsibilities of employees |
| A culture where positive mental health is promoted |
Is the estimated global annual cost in terms of loss in productivity linked to anxiety and depression alone according to the Worl Health Organization (WHO).
On one hand, there is plenty of evidence that demonstrates how a mentally unhealthy work environment impacts the mental health and wellbeing of employees, affecting the absenteeism and productivity and hence the profitability of the employer. Turnover specifically is costly for employers as it is associated with loss of valuable talent, recruitment costs and retraining costs (Miller, 2016).
On the other hand, a workplace where mental health is promoted and protected promotes greater worker satisfaction and delivers enormous productivity improvements and can lead to returns on investment
Coming soon.
(Mental Health in the Workplace) is not just a public health issue; it’s a development issue. We need to act now because the lost productivity is something the global economy simply cannot afford
Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank 2016
It is therefore not only the duty of employers but also in their interests to actively reduce the risk factors in the work environment and increase the protective factors and to instigate a culture that ensures mental health promoting conditions as well as support for employees that are experiencing a mental disorder.
A National Charter for Mental Health in the Workplace has been launched!
Take one of the best decision you ever took for your work and your team.
Sign the national charter for mental health in the workplace.
