Mental Health At Work

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Most people spend approximately 60% of their waking hours at work (Black, 2008). With an understanding of the financial and human costs of workplace mental health, employers are better able to develop action plans for improving both employee well-being and the bottom line.

One U.S. (Employers’ Health Coalition) study  found that lost productivity from presenteeism was at least 7.5 times greater than productivity loss from absenteeism. Using this figure, it is estimated that presenteeism could cost Canadian businesses 15 to 25 billion dollars per year. Presenteeism occurs when employees are physically present, but due to an unaddressed physical or emotional issue, distracted to the point of reduced productivity.

Whether you’re on the board of directors, the management team or just a hard working employee, here are three important things to consider about mental health in the workplace:

Many people face mental health issues during their prime working years

The Mental Health Commission of Canada provides the following definition of mental health, which can serve as a goal for employers: “Mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to her or his own community.” (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2012, Changing Directions, Changing Lives. The Mental Health Strategy for Canada Summary, 11.)

• Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time, through a family member, friend or colleague (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2013). 
• According to a 2012 study, 5.2% of Canadians will experience a mood disorder over one year, with 4.8% of Canadians experiencing any anxiety disorder over the same time frame. Among those with a mood or anxiety disorder, 22% of those individuals will report at least 2 or more disorders in the same year (D’Arcy & Xiangfei, 2012). 
• A 2012 employee survey indicated that 12.65% of the participants reported exposure to a co-worker who used or was impaired by an illicit drug during the workday (Frone, 2012). 
• Mild depression, which is influenced by life stressors within and outside of the workplace, is particularly common and is costly to employers given its high prevalence and high aggregate productivity loss (Allen, Hyworon, Colombi, 2010). 
• The prevalence of reported depression appears to be rising. In a 2012 workplace survey of over 6,600 Canadian employees, 14% reported being currently diagnosed with clinical depression and 8% more believed they had depression, but had not been diagnosed. A further 16% reported that they had experienced depression in the past (Ipsos Reid, 2012). The survey did not ask about any other mental health issue. 
• 16% of working Canadians (excluding self-employed employees) say their place of work is a ‘frequent’ (11%) or an ‘ongoing’ (5%) source of feelings of depression, anxiety or other mental illness, according to an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Partners for Mental Health (Ipsos Reid, 2013). 
• Nearly half (47%) of working Canadians ‘agree’ (15% strongly/32% somewhat) that their ‘work and place of work is the most stressful part of their day and life (Ipsos Reid, 2013). 
• More than one-quarter of Canadian employees perceive work-related stress to be high. While this rate has declined slightly since 2003 and 2005, there remains a substantial proportion of employees who are highly stressed most of their working days. Statistics Canada (years 2003, 2005, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2011/12).

Mental and physical health are related

• Respondents aged 18 to 65 with one or more chronic health conditions were significantly more likely to report having experienced a major depressive episode than those who did not report chronic health conditions (Wang, Williams, Lavorato, Schmitz, et al., 2010).
• About 50% of hospitalized heart patients have some depressive symptoms, and 25% develop major depression (Miller, 2006). 
• Patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to experience depression than their peers without diabetes (Anderson, Freedland, Clouse, & Lustman, 2001). 
• Rates of depression, self-reported medication abuse, an inability to concentrate or having sleeping problems were higher among injured employees compared to the general working Canadian population (O’Hagan, Ballantyne, & Vienneau, 2012).
• Presence of an anxiety disorder is associated with having chronic physical illness, poor quality of life and suicidal behaviours. Mental disorders, especially depressive and anxiety disorders, are prevalent in the labour force (Sareen, et al., 2005; Sareen, et al., 2006).

Early identification and treatment can be important to productivity and recovery

• Mental health management programs in the workplace can have a positive return on investment from the employer perspective, but only when they are based on best practices (Kessler, Merikangas & Wang, 2008). 
• 85% of respondents agree that employees with mental health conditions can be just as productive as other employees if they have access to the right supports (Ipsos Reid, 2012). 
• Most mental illness begins before adulthood and often continues through life. Improving mental health early in life will reduce inequalities, improve physical health, reduce health-risk behaviour and increase life expectancy, economic productivity, social functioning and quality of life (Royal College of Psychiatrists, London 2010).
• In a supportive work environment, depression does not necessarily have to lead to disability. A recent review by McIntyre, Liauw and Taylor (2012) indicates that 50% or more of working individuals with depression will not seek short-term disability leave at any point of their work life. 

How Can We Help?

CMHA Yukon offers workshops and training solutions for businesses and government organizations that are designed to help everyone recognize the role of mental health in the workplace.

We offer solutions that will enhance your knowledge and support your efforts to boost productivity, strengthen your team and revitalize your bottom line. To learn more about out how CMHA can support mental health in the workplace, give us a call at 867-668-6429 today!