World Mental Health Day is celebrated on October 10, International SOS, the world's leading health and security risk services company, puts a spotlight on the increasing importance of mental health resilience for global workforces. In a global landscape in which there are ongoing poly- and permacrises, the impact of these challenges on the mental health of employees has never been more significant. A global pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, geopolitical challenges, and the accelerating rate of change in today’s workplace have placed unprecedented stressors on individuals and organisations worldwide.
The World
Health Organization (WHO) reported that 15 percent of working-age adults lived
with a mental disorder in 2019, and 12 billion working days are lost every year
to depression and anxiety alone (1). International SOS Assistance Centre has
already seen a 5 percent increase in the number of requests for assistance
related to mental illness during the first half of 2023 compared to the same
period in 2022. Poor working environments, including discrimination and
inequality, excessive workloads, low job control, and job insecurity all pose a
risk to mental health. Without effective support, mental illness can impact an
individual’s capacity to work productively, absences, and the ease with which
they can retain or gain work. Vikram Vora, Medical Director at International
SOS said, “Indian subcontinent highlights that the unique challenge of having 1
out of every 7 Indians affected by mental health and wellbeing issues can only
be met through a comprehensive understanding of the psychosocial risk landscape
followed by concrete and coordinated action. Employers, leaders, and managers
need to be aware and accept that the rapidly evolving world of today, especially
after the pandemic, is no longer a place where employees feel naturally safe
and protected. Problems like economic uncertainty, uncertain employment,
growing infectious diseases, climate anxiety, and geopolitical crises, expose
employees to unforeseen risks. Organisations would do well to reassess their
employee health and well-being strategies to identify gaps and fill them in the
quickest possible time.”
He adds,
“The continuum for workers with mental ill-being encompasses awareness,
de-stigmatisation, identification, addressal, rehabilitation, and mainstream
re-integration. Programs that include these steps have the highest likelihood
of making a difference to employee lives."
Dr Oliver
Harrison, CEO of Koa Health, a leading global provider of digital-first mental
healthcare, said, “We live in challenging times, with cost-of-living pressures
worldwide, recovery from the pandemic and conflict in Europe against a backdrop
of the climate crisis. In this context, mental health resilience has become a
critical matter for organisations, public and private. With the shortage of
mental healthcare professionals reaching record highs, even those employees
with a clinical diagnosis struggle to access the support they need.”
International
SOS provides a framework for organisations to safeguard the mental health and
wellbeing of their employees:
Foster a
supportive work culture and ensure leadership commitment: Create a workplace
culture and environment that prioritises and encourages open dialogue on mental
health. Integrate mental health initiatives into relevant policies and
practices that support it.
Promote
mental health awareness: Implement comprehensive mental health awareness
campaigns to reduce stigma and encourage open dialogue.
Provide
accessible resources: Ensure employees have a toolkit of mental health
resources at their fingertips, from counselling to self-guidance materials.
Adapt to
individual needs: Offer flexible work arrangements to accommodate individual
needs and reduce work-related stress.
Training and
education: Roll out mental health training, enabling everyone to spot,
understand, and assist with mental health challenges.
Monitor
and assess: Seek feedback and continuously monitor the mental health of
employees through surveys and assessments to adapt programmes as needed.
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