Mental health in the workforce statistics:
- More than 25 percent of people in any given year experience some kind of anxiety, depression or other mental health condition.
- Mental health conditions cause greater disability than cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and diabetes.
- Mental illness and substance abuse cost employers an estimated $80 to $100 billion in indirect costs each year.
- Forty percent of workers report their jobs as “very or extremely stressful.”
- Five out of 20 workers in an office will likely develop a mental health condition.
- Those with depression average 5.6 hours a week of lost productive work time due to decreased work performance or presenteeism.
- About two-thirds of people with symptoms of mental disorders do not receive any treatment at all for their condition.
- Left untreated, depression is as costly as heart disease or AIDS to the U.S. economy, costing more than $51 billion in absenteeism from work and lost productivity and $26 billion in direct treatment costs.
- Sixty-five to 80 percent of individuals with mental disorders improve with appropriate diagnosis, treatment and ongoing monitoring.
- Forty-three percent of adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
- Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide.
- Employers who support wellness through stress management have seen a 26 percent decline in health care costs.
- Workplace health promotion saves employers an average of $5.81 per dollar spent.
- Forty-seven percent of rural hospital chief executive officers reported shortages of psychiatrists in their communities.
Creating a healthy workplace culture
- Offer employees access to mental health information and resources.
- Include mental health in health promotion programs in order to raise awareness.
- Make sure employees understand the behavioral health benefits in their insurance policy.
- Be proactive about informing employees of upcoming changes — both good and bad.
- Develop foundations for workplace conversations and healthy work relationships.
- Manage conflict.
- Monitor and develop supervisory leadership skills.
- Promote and respect work/life balance.
- Provide debriefing in the event of a traumatic event (i.e., an accident or loss of a co-worker).
- Recognize warning signs of mental health conditions.
Source: Dawn Zak, Mental Health America of Wisconsin
Signs of depression
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Persistent sadness or “empty” moods.
- Fatigue.
- Loss of energy and motivation.
- Difficulty concentrating or remembering things.
- Difficulty making decisions.
- Eating more or eating less.
- Loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable.
- Feelings of worthlessness, guilt or hopelessness.
Signs of anxiety
- Increased tension.
- An unrelenting sense of unease.
- Irritability.
- Muscle tension.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Easily distracted.
- Difficulty starting and completing tasks.
Resources
Mental Health America of Wisconsin:
www.mhawisconsin.org
Partnership for Workplace Mental Health:
www.workplacementalhealth.org
Families and Work Institute:
www.familiesandwork.org
National Business Group on Health:
www.businessgrouphealth.org
Great Lakes ADA Center:
www.adagreatlakes.org
Job Accommodation Network:
www.jan.wvu.edu
National Alliance on Mental Illness Greater Milwaukee:
www.namigrm.org
WELCOA (The Wellness Council of America):
www.welcoa.org
IMPACT Inc.:
IMPACT 2-1-1 or www.impactinc.org
WISE (Wisconsin Initiative for Stigma Elimination):
rogersinhealth.org/wise
