The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have called for concrete actions to address mental health concerns among the world’s working population
An estimated 12 billion workdays are lost annually due to depression and anxiety, costing the global economy nearly US$ 1 trillion. Two new publications which aim to address this issue – WHO Guidelines on mental health at work and a derivative WHO/ILO policy brief – were published today.
WHO’s global 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. For the first time, the WHO recommends building the capacity of managers to prevent stressful work environments and respond to workers in distress.
WHO’s World Mental Health Report, published in June 2022, showed that of one billion people living with a mental disorder in 2019, 15 per cent of working-age adults experienced a mental disorder. Work amplifies wider societal issues that negatively affect mental health, including discrimination and inequality. Bullying and psychological violence (also known as ‘mobbing’) are key complaints of workplace harassment that hurt mental health. Yet, discussing or disclosing mental health remains taboo in work settings globally.
The guidelines also recommend better ways to accommodate the needs of workers with mental health conditions, propose interventions that support their return to work and, for those with severe mental health conditions, provide interventions that facilitate entry into paid employment. Importantly, the guidelines call for interventions aimed at the protection of health, humanitarian, and emergency workers.
“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 well-being 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 the WHO guidelines in terms of practical strategies for governments, employers and workers, and their organisations, in the public and private sectors. The aim is to support the prevention of mental health risks, protect and promote mental health at work, and support those with mental health conditions, so they can participate and thrive in the world of work. Investment and leadership will be critical to the implementation of the strategies.
“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 around 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,” said, Guy Ryder, ILO director-general.
