If you are employed, you’ve probably experienced a difficult boss who drives you up the wall or a toxic workplace that makes you want to call in sick every single day.
But look no further, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has got your back and has just released new guidelines that may come to your rescue and prevent that mental breakdown at work.
In a policy brief and new guidelines on mental health at work that were issued on Wednesday, the WHO and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have called for new measures to tackle mental health issues in the workplace as mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety continue to skyrocket among workers.
The WHO is so concerned about the impact of work on people's mental state that for the first time it has recommended manager training to “build their [managers'] capacity to prevent stressful work environments and respond to workers in distress”.
The new guidelines on mental health at work recommend actions to tackle risks to mental health such as heavy workloads, negative behaviours and other factors that create distress at work. The report notes that about 12-billion workdays are lost annually due to depression and anxiety, costing the global economy nearly $1-trillion.
An estimated 15% of working-age adults have a mental disorder at any point in time.
“People living with severe mental health conditions are largely excluded from work despite participation in economic activities being important for recovery,” the WHO says.
While having a job can be protective against mental health challenges, the WHO notes that work can also amplify wider societal issues that negatively affect mental health, including discrimination and inequality.
“Bullying and psychological violence (also known as mobbing) is a key complaint of workplace harassment that has a negative impact on mental health. Yet discussing or disclosing mental health remains a taboo in work settings globally,” the report says.
Organisational interventions that address psychosocial risk factors should be considered for workers to reduce emotional distress and improve work-related outcomes, says the agency.
Importantly, the guidelines call for interventions aimed at the protection of health, humanitarian and emergency workers.
Organisational interventions that address psychosocial risk factors — such as reducing workloads, making changes and improving communication and teamwork — may be considered for health, humanitarian and emergency workers to reduce emotional distress and improve work-related outcomes.
The guidelines also recommend better ways to accommodate the needs of workers with mental health conditions, proposing interventions that support their return to work, and for those with severe mental health conditions.
“It’s time to focus on the detrimental effect work can have on our mental health,” said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“The wellbeing of the individual is reason enough to act, but poor mental health can also have a debilitating impact on a person’s performance and productivity. These new guidelines can help prevent negative work situations and cultures and offer much-needed mental health protection and support for working people.”
A separate WHO/ILO policy brief explains practical strategies that governments, employers and workers, can apply to support the prevention of mental health risks, protect and promote mental health at work “so they can participate and thrive in the world of work”.
Guy Ryder, ILO director-general, said: “As people spend a large proportion of their lives in work, a safe and healthy working environment is critical.
“We need to invest to build a culture of prevention about mental health at work, reshape the work environment to stop stigma and social exclusion, and ensure employees with mental health conditions feel protected and supported.”
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