The New Future of Workplace Mental Health
Here in the U.S., May is Mental Health Awareness Month. And across the globe, May is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month. Two great topics and two great topics that also naturally align with each other.
Mental health in the workplace is certainly not a new topic for employers here in the U.S. Employers here have a long and proud history of dealing with employee mental health, beginning with employee alcoholism back in the 1940’s. As societal views on mental health and mental illness have changed over the years, employers have kept pace with the shifts. Today, mental health in the workplace encompasses all mental illnesses, but most commonly the top three are anxiety, depression and substance use disorders.
While supporting those who unfortunately experience a mental illness is still important, society is also beginning to recognize that, just like physical health, mental health needs to be addressed further upstream from the initiating of treatment. In other words, mental health needs to be addressed proactively, not just reactively.
Employers are also recognizing the need to be proactive as well. The need to be proactive about mental health in the workplace is being recognized by employers not only here in the U.S., but outside the U.S. as well. Canada and European countries have fully embraced and are leading examples for workplace mental health promotion.
During a recent communication with a workplace consultant based in the Far East, he advised he is seeing employers in that region also recognizing the need to be proactive when it comes to workplace mental health. All of this is certainly good news.
This realization is resulting in the emergence of new models of workplace mental health such as my three component model. The three components in my model of mental health are: mental wellness/wellbeing or positive mental health, mental distress or struggles and, of course, mental illness. This model can be delivered in the workplace via a three part framework which includes promotion, prevention and providing treatment supports.
Promotion focused efforts largely focus on mental wellness/wellbeing or positive mental health. Researchers have concluded that mental wellness/wellbeing consists of psychological, social and emotional factors. These efforts are non-clinical in nature and revolve around Awareness Building and mental health related Knowledge and Skill Enhancement efforts. These commonly involve building awareness around mental health literacy and any number of mental and emotional domain topics such as virtues, values, thoughts, beliefs, self-awareness, self-esteem, self-regulation, emotional intelligence and social intelligence.
Prevention is largely focused on preventing mental illness and the prevention of downward spiraling following the onset of an negative life experience such as a disaster, severe illness or death of a loved one or some other significant type of loss. Prevention involves enhancing protective factors and reducing hazards and risks, including organization or workplace psychosocial risks such as the 13 psychosocial hazards identified in the Canadian Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace standard.
While expanding into promotion and prevention, employers should continue to provide support for treatment as they have been doing all along through EAP programs and mental health benefits within the health insurance plans. Employers can further enhance their support of treatment by offering anonymous Web based or telephonic screening programs, establishing a mental health employee resource group and providing workplace accommodations as needed.
Mental Health Awareness Month encourages us to pay closer attention towards mental health. It is becoming clear that the future of workplace mental health is not just about managing crises and mental illness, but fostering an environment of continuous support and proactive care. This emerging paradigm, exemplified through initiatives like the three-component model, signifies a major shift towards a more complete approach to mental health. Employers who embrace these practices are not only enhancing individual wellbeing, but are also fortifying the resilience of their organizations against future challenges.
By integrating promotion, prevention and treatment into the fabric of corporate culture and workplace climates, businesses are poised to lead by example in the global movement towards better mental health. As we forge ahead, it is imperative that these efforts are not just maintained, but accelerated, thereby ensuring that mental health in the workplace evolves from a peripheral concern to a central priority.
