The WHO states that workplaces can protect mental health by providing financial stability, an inclusive community, fostering confidence and a sense of achievement, and creating routine.
By magazineeyn.com
“Right now it’s really hard to get up in the morning, see the headlines that people see, not to mention all the things that are part of everyday life… and certainly everyday life in the workplace, where stress It is something inherent.”
This is according to Diana Han, Director of Health and Wellness at Unilever, whose mission is to add years of health to the lives of the company’s 128,000 employees in 190 countries.
More than half of the world’s population (60%) works and around 15% of working-age adults suffer from a mental disorder, according to the WHO.
An estimated 12 billion days of work are lost each year due to depression and anxiety alone, costing the global economy US$1 trillion in lost productivity.
The WHO states that workplaces can protect mental health by providing financial stability, an inclusive community, fostering confidence and a sense of achievement, and creating routine.
But work can also be a source of mental health risks, from job insecurity to discrimination, unsafe working conditions and excessive hours.
In the UK and US, nearly half of employees (47%) and two-thirds (66%) of CEOs say most or all of their stress comes from work, according to the 2024 Workforce State report. of Mind from mental health organization Headspace.
And this stress is affecting workers’ personal lives: more than three-quarters say it has had a negative impact on their physical health and 71% say work stress has caused the end of a personal relationship.
LEADERSHIP
“Always start with that culture of leadership as the first step. Sharing stories and lived experiences is very impactful,” Han said.
“From there, throughout the organization, it is important to raise awareness and normalize the conversation: there is absolutely no harm in speaking up when you are unwell and then being able to refer employees to formal training materials so that people and managers can recognize the general signs and symptoms.”
Lucy Pérez, senior partner at McKinsey & Company, added: “There is an issue around the way senior managers lead by example and show vulnerability. “If they have used human resources, they have to make sure that people know that they are available, but also that it is okay and are actually encouraged to use them because the whole organization benefits when everyone is in good mental health.”
Headspace research reveals this culture of transparency and role modeling is growing, with a majority (89%) of employees in 2024 saying their leaders talk about their own mental health, up from just 35% in 2020 .
“One of the things we have been promoting is whole-person health,” said Sharon E. Smith, Corporate Medical Director of Estée Lauder Companies.
“We talk about emotional, spiritual and social well-being. Are you socially connected? Are you still curious and developing your skills or learning more? Because when you take classes or learn things, that has an impact on your social well-being.”
“And we also talk about your financial well-being. Do you have your house in order, literally and figuratively? “All of these things are interconnected and affect not only your ability to be productive, but also the ability of other people in your household to be productive.”
“We bring our whole selves to work, and that ability to bring our whole selves to work has a huge impact on your ability to be productive,” Perez said.
Smith says that offering support to managers and employees is crucial, but that in any organization there are nuances that must be taken into account:
“We have many people working all over the world, doing different things in different ways, in factories or offices. So we can’t paint with a broad brush in terms of support, and we have to be culturally sensitive.”
“Our business thrives on mutual respect and understanding, but also making sure we take care of smaller populations. We are 80% women, but we care about men. We consider LGBTQ populations and people of color, and ensure that the nuances of the support we provide take into account cultural and regional differences.”