This World Mental Health Day, BHS is bringing awareness to taking care of your mental health at work. Safe, healthy working environments can be a key factor in maintaining your mental health. Unhealthy conditions like stigma, discrimination and risks, such as harassment, can harm mental health, lower quality of life and reduce work participation and productivity.
With 60% of the global population in the workforce, action is needed to ensure work prevents risks to mental health and protects and supports mental health. By investing time and resources in proactive approaches and interventions at work, we can ensure that everyone can thrive at work and in life.
Risks to Mental Health at Work
Workplace risks to mental health may be related to job content or work schedule, workplace conditions or opportunities for career development. Additional potential risks include:
- limited support from colleagues
- violence, harassment or bullying
- discrimination and exclusion
- unclear job role
- conflicting home/work demands
Action for Mental Health at Work
Employers and other stakeholders responsible for workers’ health and safety can help to improve mental health at work through action to:
- Prevent work-related mental health conditions by preventing the risks to mental health
- Protect and promote mental health
- Support workers with mental health conditions to participate and thrive in the workplace
- Create an enabling environment for change
- Support people with mental health conditions to participate in and thrive at work
Action to address mental health at work should be done with the meaningful involvement of workers and those with lived experience of mental health conditions. Let’s act today for a healthier future.
If you are concerned about your mental health, don’t hesitate to seek advice. Your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free and confidential assessment and counseling services. BHS is available by calling 800-245-1150 or by visiting www.behavioralhealthsystems.com.