United Nations agencies are warning that employers need to do much more to address mental health issues in the workplace.
To help offer suggestions on how to support workers, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus created guidelines aimed at addressing negative workplace experiences.
“It’s time to focus on the detrimental effect work can have on our mental health,” said Dr. Ghebreyesus.
“The well-being of the individual is reason enough to act, but poor mental health can also have a debilitating impact on a person’s performance and productivity.”
More specifically, the WHO’s World Mental Health Report is recommending new modes of training managers and leaders to ensure that the workplace is healthy and has the tools to address stressful situations.
The report suggests that an unhealthy work environment has a direct impact on the mental health of workers and can lead to bias, discrimination and inequality.
“We need to invest to build a culture of prevention around mental health at work, reshape the work environment to stop stigma and social exclusion, and ensure employees with mental health conditions feel protected and supported,” said Guy Ryder, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
