KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Companies must balance project priorities with employees’ mental well-being to ensure long-term stability.  
• Mental health strain at work is common, with significant numbers of employees facing mental health challenges.
• Poor mental health in the workplace is influenced by inadequate policies, unclear objectives, and lack of support.
• Managers can develop, track, and improve mental health initiatives at work.
• Fostering a sense of community, respect, and belonging is crucial for mental well-being.

Reaching business goals requires a certain degree of healthy stress. But companies who consistently prioritize projects over people risk long-term business stability to attain short-term goals. Supervisors who engage with their workforce on a more personal level to identify mental health needs and address them in timely and positive ways can reduce health and safety risks as well as increase revenue. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), every $1 invested in mental health yields a $4 return, and early intervention promises the highest rate of return.”ⁱ

Current Workplace Mental Health Statistics

Carolyn DiVine, VP of Communications & Policy at Calm reported, “Our findings from the Calm Business study reveal that work is a primary cause of mental health strain.”ⁱⁱ Left unaddressed, mental health strain can develop into mental illness with potentially devastating outcomes that include disability and even death.  

The Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development has estimated that 12 billion working days are lost due to mental illness every year and that mental disorders will cost the global economy $16 trillion by 2030.ⁱⁱⁱ  

Here are more of the latest statistics surrounding mental health in the workplace from the American Psychological Association:^iv

• 92% of workers said it is important to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being.
• Those who reported working for an organization with equity, diversity, and inclusion policies were more likely to report being satisfied with opportunities for growth and development (78%).
• 95% said it is important to feel respected at work and an equal number reported it’s important for organizations to respect boundaries between work and nonwork time.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIIH) statistics reveal workers are facing surprisingly common challenges with mental health in the workplace.^v

• More than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (57.8 million in 2021).
• An estimated 19.1% of U.S. adults had an anxiety disorder in the past year.
• An estimated 21.0 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode, representing 8.3% of all U.S. adults.
• 34% of employees aged 18-29 and 28% of employees aged 30-49 reported that they considered quitting because of work’s impact on their mental health.^vi

Primary risk factors that contribute to poor mental health in the workplace include:

• Poor health and safety policies.
• Inadequate communication and management practices.
• Unclear organizational objectives or tasks.
• Rigid working hours.
• Working in isolation with little to no support.

Who Is Affected by Mental Health Challenges and Why?

Mental health challenges are not a remote or rare problem. They affect all people at different times. To maintain good mental health, individuals first have to understand what it looks like and take daily steps to maintain it. Within organizations, managers must do the same. Fortunately, there are several practical steps and tools that managers can implement, which we will discuss in the next section.  

Certain industries are known to cause more stress to their workers.  Manufacturing, construction, and mining industries consistently create high-pressure situations surrounding daily tasks, such as heavy machinery operations. According to the CDC, the construction industry alone in the U.S. has a suicide rate of 53 per 100,000 people, which is four times higher than the general population.^vii

Injuries also play a prominent role in mental health issues in the workplace. For example, injured workers are more likely to be treated for depression than non-injured workers. Conversely, depression may lead to an increased number of injuries or absenteeism. The costs of absenteeism related to mental health issues costs the U.S. economy an estimated $47.6 billion annually in lost productivity, according to some studies.^viii  

Five Steps Managers Can Take to Improve Mental Health at Work

The term “toxic” is used so widely, especially in relation to work and personal relationships, that it has lost much of its meaning. Current world news stories, however, show toxicity in the workplace is a real and ongoing problem.^ix Employees in a toxic environment are more than three times as likely to report harm to their mental health at work, compared with those who feel they work in a healthy environment. One of the most troubling statistics is that professionals in upper management are much less likely to perceive a toxic workplace and consequently may be out of touch with holistic workplace culture, their own mental health, or lack empathy when approached by a subordinate. ^x  

Health and safety managers can take these steps to expand their focus to include safety in our relationships with ourselves, each other, and our work:

1. Formalize emotional support and empathy training, through an employee assistance program (EAP).

2. Provide time and opportunities for social engagement during working hours.

3. Offer peer mentoring for intellectual growth and funding for professional development.

4. Accommodate flexible and autonomous work schedules.

5. Regularly conduct internal audits and supplier audits to evaluate success and find areas for improvement.

Speaking of Mental Health

Lack of mental health awareness directly affects the bottom line of any organization because it affects workers and managers at an individual level. Poor performance, absenteeism, and impairment are symptoms of underlying mental health issues that can affect the culture, efficiency, and safety of an entire organization. However, a significant portion of mental health issues in the workplace go unreported and untreated. Stigma, fear of discrimination, and lack of access to mental health resources are among the barriers to seeking help.  

Work environments across many sectors have been traditionally dominated by rigid policies and on-site environments where workers do not feel comfortable bringing up problems and discussing them with supervisors or even peers.^xi In fact, 43% of workers reported worrying that if they told their employer about a mental health condition, it would have a negative impact on them in the workplace.^xii Silence surrounding mental health is even higher in certain industries, including manufacturing.^xiii

One of the five pillars of a healthy workplace, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being, is a sense of social community and connection that rests on two human needs: social support and belonging.^xiv

A Network of Secure Relationships

One key insight from the statistics listed above is that organizations that strive to foster respect and belonging will enjoy healthier work environments and stronger relationships. The quality of relationships between managers and workers influence the relationships between workers and their peers. Mental health risks can arise from a managerial and organizational environment that lacks communication and support between work teams.

Certain minority and marginalized populations may be more susceptible to mental health issues and require additional support to feel safe, respected, and included. Close to one-third (30%) of workers said they feel their workplace does not support them because of an aspect of their identity, such as race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability status, age, etc., and more than a quarter (26%) said they have experienced feelings of loneliness or isolation at work.^xv

The workplace can provide much needed relief when interpersonal needs are met, including personal identity, belonging, and growth and development. Any efforts to track mental health support, destigmatize mental illness, and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) will pay off. Workplace statistics show that access to employer-sponsored mental healthcare coverage and mental health training positively impacts workers’ perceptions of discussing mental health on the job – and discussing mental health leads to access to improved care, better working relationships, and performance.^xvi

Are You a Mental Health Awareness Champion?

It is imperative for organizations to foster a culture of mental health awareness and support to contribute not only to the health of the organization, but to address the actual needs of the individuals within the organization.  

Ask yourself the following questions:

• How is my organization addressing mental health needs?  
• Are incidents occurring that could be related to mental health and/or lack of support?  
• Do our support measures include an EAP?
• Are we overcoming underreporting of safety incidents?
• Do I know how our suppliers and contractors manage mental health at work?  
• What can my organization do better to track mental health training, support, insurance coverage, and evaluate mental health data across our supplier network?

By fostering mental health awareness in your organization and across your supplier network, you can set the tone for a healthier, more inclusive world that thrives on safety, security, and sustainability.  

To find out how you can gain visibility and control over the safety and compliance of your contractors, suppliers, subcontractors, workers, and worksites, talk to an Avetta expert. Avetta is dedicated to helping employers every day ensure they are following safety guidelines that protect workers from physical and mental harm. Visit www.avetta.com.

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References:

¹ “Leading Companies Pledge to Be Stigma Free with NAMI,” National Alliance on Mental Illness, November 27, 2023.

² Supra note 1.

³ “Mental Illness Will Cost the World $16 USD Trillion by 2030,” The Carter Center, Psychiatric Times, November 16, 2018.

⁴ “2023 Work in America Survey,” American Psychological Association, 2024.

⁵ “National Institute of Mental Health Statistics,” National Institute of Mental Health, accessed May 22, 2024.  

⁶ “The 2024 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll,” National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2024.

⁷ “Suicide Rates by Industry and Occupation,” Cora Peterson, et al., Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, January 24, 2020.

⁸ “20+ Statistics About Absenteeism in the Workplace [2024],” Sheila Stafford, TeamSense, 2024.

⁹ “Chinese tech exec’s fiery endorsement of toxic workplace culture sparks backlash — and costs her job,” Nectar Gan, CNN, May 9, 2024.

¹⁰ Supra note 4.

¹¹ Supra note 6.

¹² Supra note 4.

¹³ Supra note 6.

¹⁴ “The Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well‑Being,” Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, 2022.

¹⁵ Supra note 4.

¹⁶ Supra note 4.

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