Prioritising Employee Mental Health: Is Your Organisation Equipped?

Last week, we discussed the Top 10 Emerging People Trends of 2023 and the importance of preparing leaders and organisations for these trends. One critical trend is employee mental health, which the pandemic and the economy have significantly impacted.

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Organisations are now expected to broaden their focus on mental health by restructuring work to manage employee workload and promote lasting well-being. Since the pandemic began, the term "mental health" has been widely discussed, with numerous studies and surveys highlighting its impact on employees.?

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The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as a state of well-being that allows individuals to realise their potential, cope with life's stresses, work productively and contribute to their community. Achieving this state may seem simple, but the statistics reveal a more complex reality.

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Pre-pandemic WHO data from 2019 estimated that 15% of working-age adults experienced mental health issues. Around the globe, approximately 12 billion workdays are lost annually to depression and anxiety, costing US$1 trillion annually in lost productivity.?

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Our work could ideally mitigate some of these mental health issues by providing a sense of purpose, achievement, structured routines, and opportunities for positive relationships. However, we have seen an increase in mental health challenges due to workplace factors such as:

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• Excessive workload or long hours
• Under-utilisation of skills or lack of control over job design and workload?
• Organisational culture that enables negative behaviours or limited support from colleagues?
• Violence, harassment, discrimination, or exclusion?
• Lack of growth, job insecurity, inadequate pay, or poor investment in career development?
• Conflicting home/work demands.

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The Australian Financial Review reported that the Committee for Economic Development in Australia, predicted that mental health compensation claims for workers could double by 2030 in a moderate-growth scenario or nearly triple in a high-growth scenario.?

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Employers often resort to measures like free yoga classes or fruit boxes, which may be suitable for physical health but are insufficient for addressing complex mental health needs. More comprehensive efforts can be explored, such as:

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• Developing Leaders and? Managers: Research from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that a manager's attitude significantly impacts employee mental health. A positive attitude can reduce the likelihood of an employee developing a moderate mental disorder by 6 per cent.
• Involving Employees in Job Design: Leaders should understand employees' needs and involve them in designing their roles to accommodate their interests and goals.
• Reasonable Accommodation: Work environments can be adapted to the needs and preferences of workers, such as offering flexible working hours, extra time for life tasks, modified assignments, time off for appointments, or supportive meetings with supervisors.
• Return-to-Work Programs: Combining work-directed care (like reasonable accommodation or phased re-entry) with ongoing clinical care to support workers returning to work after a mental health-related absence can also reduce symptoms.
• Technology: Gartner suggests HR leaders can use technology to proactively sense and address employee stressors and enable virtual access to mental well-being resources.

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Incorporating these steps into an organisation-wide mental health strategy can create a supportive work environment, helping employees with mental health conditions thrive. At JOST&Co, we can assist in designing and implementing customised strategies for your organisation. Contact us at 1300 791 950 - we'd be delighted to hear from you.