Mental health in the workplace

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

- Advertisement -

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 

Sign up for the BizTimes email newsletter

Stay up-to-date on the people, companies and issues that impact business in Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin

What's New

BizPeople

Sponsored Content

BIZEXPO | EARLY BIRD PRICING | REGISTER BY APRIL 15TH & SAVE

Stay up-to-date with our free email newsletter

Keep up with the issues, companies and people that matter most to business in the Milwaukee metro area.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy.

No, thank you.
BizTimes Milwaukee