Premium Essay

Mental Health in Workplace

In:

Submitted By eileen8995
Words 427
Pages 2
How does mental health affect the workplace? What is the impact?

Mental health in the workplace refers to the relationship between employee mental health and the workplace. It encompasses:

how the workplace can impact on an individual’s mental health how an individual’s mental health can impact on the workplace

Direct cost : Research undertaken by Beaton on behalf of Beyond Blue reported that more than 6 million working days are lost per year as a result of one mental illness alone – depression - and that each worker whose depression is untreated costs their employer $9660. It is estimated that the overall cost of unmanaged or mismanaged mental health in the Australian workplace is $13 billion a year.
Lower productivity/performance

There are a number of reasons why organisations and businesses need to improve the mental health of their workplaces:

There are considerable financial costs associated with mental health problems in the workplace including absenteeism, presenteeism (i.e. reduced productivity while at work), high staff turnover, accidents and workers' compensation claims. (It also costs the overall community through the use of health services, loss of productivity, loss of lives, social exclusion and human rights abuses.) Employers are subject to a number of legislative requirements related to mental health in the workplace, including work health and safety, discrimination, privacy and fair work legislation. Employers have an ethical responsibility to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of their workforce and their families as well as the community at large.

The facts
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. In Australia, it is estimated that 45 per cent of people will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime.( 1 in 6 people – 1 in

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Anxiety and Depression in the Work Place

...are the keywords that I picked for search purpose • Causes of anxiety in workplace • Workplace depression • Effect of Alcohol and drug dependence on workplace • Anxiety and work environment • Boredom in job • Stress in workplace • organizational commitment & employee discontent • Physical fitness and work related issues • Dealing with Anxiety and Depression • Coping with Anxiety and Depression • Impact of anxiety and depression on organization and economy I had analyzed the various key words which are related to the topic and compared sourced information from other related sites for the topic. To find how organizations deal with anxiety and depression and how this affects other employees I initiated discussions with the human resource dept and the different chiefs of the company that I work, namely Gulf Cement Co. The Preliminary research question that I will be addressing in the literature review What are the effects of anxiety and depression in the work place and how organizations deal with it? A list of 6 – 8 Keywords and their definitions related to the above topic • Job-Anxiety: When an actual or imagined confrontation with the workplace or certain stimuli at the workplace (e.g. persons, objects, situations, events) causes a prominent anxiety reaction in a person. Secondly, avoidance behavior towards the workplace or associated stimuli has developed. • Workplace depression: It is a state of low mood and aversion to...

Words: 5534 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

Project Management

...reflective of broader social, economic and political trends. Mental health as a general public concern – and its role in the workplace – has garnered increasing attention over the past several years. One in five Canadians will experience a mental disorder in their lifetime. Whatever the reason for this new awareness, mental illness and poor mental health is now being recognized as a major business concern. 3 In order for workplace health promotion to be adopted, it must make a difference to the financial bottom line and be presented as a strategic priority to organizations. Taking a proactive approach to protecting employees’ mental health is the right move for organizations looking to keep a healthy staff team and a healthy budget. There this company, XYZ want to help improve the mental health of employees as it is beneficial in helping both the individual and the whole organization to achieve long-term excellence. As a result, a detailed project plan is described in the report that tells how the overall project will be carried out. 3 1 The Definition of Project 3 1.1 Project Objectives: 4 2. Business Projects: 4 Key Personnel Involved is: 5 2.1Assessment of costs relating to stress and psychosocial risks 5 2.2 Methodology for Carrying out the Project: 6 Creating a Healthy Workplace Committee 6 2.3 Conducting a Situational Assessment – Getting to the Root of the Problem 7 2.4 Developing a Healthy Workplace Plan 8 2.4.1 Types of planning 8 2.5 Role and responsibilities...

Words: 4745 - Pages: 19

Premium Essay

Frankline

...Crazy in the Workplace Should everyone have a job? Psychological disorders at work place …. (Mental Illness) Mental well-being at work is an idea that still lacks a proper and clear definition. Many documents reflect the complexity of this concept, which usually views stress and the risk of occupational burnout as the typical results of poor mental working conditions. Some professions are more vulnerable than others. It is true, as the research in many countries shows, that professionals such as lawyers, social workers, teachers or secretaries have a higher risk of depression, and workers in health services and farmers have a higher risk of suicide. One tends to focus on the “dark side of the moon”, sometimes forgetting that work could and should be a source of personal growth and satisfaction. Experts working on the psychological disorder at work place for Mental Health and Well-being, state that the workplace can provide a healthy culture and environment that is psychologically supportive to the workforce. It also helps to promote the social inclusion of people with mental health problems, providing an income allowing them to more fully participate in society On the other hand, mental health influences the quality of work performance. Poor mental health, especially depression, results in higher absenteeism rates, lower productivity and problems with making decisions. In some extreme cases, a mental condition...

Words: 680 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Mental Health

...Work 30 (2008) 311–316 IOS Press 311 Disclosure of mental health Kathy Hatchard∗ Hatchard Rehabilitation, Penticton, British Columbia, Canada Abstract. As today’s workplaces strive toward a climate of inclusiveness for persons with disabilities, much work remains for employers in developing a process to achieve this ideal. While survivors of mental illness are encouraged to disclose related concerns to their employer, such sharing of personal information remains daunting. Similarly, employers attempting to assist the process are often awed by the extent of collaborations involved in integrating employees with mental health issues back to work as well as concern about compliance with human rights legislation. Needed accommodations in terms of approach to the work itself are often simple; however substantiating the need for adjustments is more complex. This case study introduces a model to support the development of shared goals and shared understandings for return to work (RTW) among workers with mental health concerns, employers, co-workers and therapists. The model of occupational competence is used as a basis to guide dialogue, identify challenges and generate solutions that take into consideration a worker’s preferences, sensitivities, culture and capacities in relationship to the occupational demands in a given workplace environment. A case study is used to demonstrate the potential utility of the model in assisting stakeholders to strengthen collaborations and...

Words: 4133 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

How Does Employee Hidden Mental Illness Manifest Adversely in Workplaces?

...How does employee hidden mental illness manifest adversely in workplaces? An employee hidden mental illness has become the most prevalent illness found in western societies today. It has widely emerged within many workplace organisations and surprisingly remains largest among the medical and health sciences fields. According to De Lorenzo and Mirella (2013), hidden mental illnesses effect between 17% and 20% of employees in a given twelve month period. The most common hidden mental illnesses are depression and anxiety, depression effecting 4% and anxiety 14% of employees in a twelve month period. The socio-economic impact of mental illness within the workplace is frightening, the loss of productivity and costs have already caused major damage, and serious consequences for the future when depression and anxiety within the workplace increase. Mental illnesses within the workplace can be worsened if the employee has poor self-management of their illness, which includes inconsistent medication use, and social factors such as low social support, discussed by Munir, Yarker, Haslam, Long, Leka, Griffiths and Cox (2007). Mental illnesses are not treated like physical illnesses by society. They are pushed aside and not seen as a real disease that impairs peoples abilities because it is an invisible illness. Stigma of mental illnesses within the workplace is a major reason why employees choose to conceal their issues. Employees can feel labelled, less capable and treated differently...

Words: 1778 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Mental Illness

...NAME: KANWAR SHAHRUKH ALI ROLL #: 014 CLASS: CV-2D ASSIGNMENT OF: PSYCHOLOGY SUBMITTED TO: MISS BATOOL MENTAL ILLNESSS (PROBLEMS) &WORK When discussing mental problems and work, "work" can mean a number of things. It can mean the workplace, as in where we go to do our jobs. It can also mean the act of working, what we do at our jobs, as a volunteer in the community, or what we like to do in the garden, kitchen or workshop to relax. The relationship between mental illness and work can be looked at in a number of different ways, including: • the stresses and strains today's workplace places on us;  • the incredible pressure placed upon people to continue to perform at work when an illness strikes, and the extra strain this places on their families and friends;  • the difficult barriers those persons diagnosed with a mental illness face in the working world;  • the strain encountered by people who work while they care for someone with a mental illness at home;  • the therapeutic role the act of work plays in helping to reduce stress and improve mental health; and,  • the benefits work can bring in guiding people diagnosed with a mental illness toward recovery, rebuilding their self-esteem and hopefully returning to the jobs they left when the illness struck.  What is Mental Illness? The first step toward discussing mental illness and helping eliminate myths, misconceptions and stereotypes is to understand what a psychiatric illness is. In general...

Words: 1398 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Psychological Health at Workplace

...Psychological health in the workplace Including mental health in your business model is important to a healthy workplace. Poor mental health not only hurts the individual, it also reduces corporate profits. It's important that all levels of the workplace - including the Board of Directors, management, finance, and human resources departments - get involved to incorporate mental health at your workplace in order to ensure proper functioning of firm. There is also a legislative requirement for employers to protect the mental and physical health of their employees. Many provincial occupational health and safety acts have been expanded to include harm to psychological well-being in the definition of harassment. In jurisdictions that do not have explicit legislation dealing with psychological health in the workplace, the general duty clause would apply. The most important organizational factors that impact organizational health, the health of individual employees and the financial bottom line, including the way work is carried out and the context in which work occurs, are Psychological Support, Organizational Culture, Clear Leadership & Expectations, Civility & Respect, Psychological Job Fit, Growth & Development, Recognition & Reward, Involvement & Influence, Workload Management, Engagement, Balance, Psychological Protection, Protection of Physical Safety. Apart from the aforesaid factors, a key issue affecting an employee’s health is stress. Taber's Cyclopedic...

Words: 1103 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Business Studies

...About Workplace Conflict The Cost of Conflict Conflict is defined as a difference of wants, needs, or expectations. The workplace is filled with people who have differences of wants, needs, and expectations. So, of course, conflicts will occur. These conflicts can be an asset to the organization. They may be opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and improvement. But conflict can also be costly to an organization. The trouble isn't necessarily the fact that conflict exists. It's how we deal with those conflicts or what happens when they aren't resolved. The impact of conflict in the workplace can be devastating - to the parties involved, to colleagues and teams, to clients, and to the business as a whole. Some of the results of unresolved conflict in the workplace include: * Stress, frustration, and anxiety * Loss of sleep * Strained relationships * Grievances and litigation * Presenteeism * Employee turnover * Loss of productivity * Increased client complaints * Absenteeism * Sabotage * Injury and accidents * Disability claims * Sick leave These symptoms of unresolved conflict are a significant cost factor in organizations. Take a look at some of the facts and figures below. How much is conflict costing your organization? Mental Health / Stress "Unresolved conflict represents the largest reducible cost in many businesses, yet it remains largely unrecognized." (Dana, Daniel (1999). Measuring the Financial Cost of...

Words: 2067 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Workplace Bullying and Bill 168

...Bullying in the Workplace | The law, its implications, and the future | For: Bob Thompson | By: Anthony DeRose Mike MortonPerna CaputoSaralyn ManzanoTara Knight | 3/24/2015 | | Bullying in the workplace is a serious issue and more prevalent than ever. The University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business in 2011 found 40% of Canadians experience one or more acts of workplace bullying a week. The Canadian Safety Council reports that 75% of victims quit (CBC News). Not only does workplace bullying have serious negative consequences for an individual’s career, it can have a devastating impact on mental and physical health. The damages associated with bullying are exemplified in the following. The legislation in Canada that protects workers from bullying is in its infancy. It does not use the term bullying at any point. Victims of bullying can receive remediation through the common law and statutes. However, as Human Resources Professionals it is our legislated duty to provide safe workplaces for the employees we manage. Additionally, our responsibility is to mitigate the costs of litigation posed by bullying. Proactive HR policies that emphasize education and open communication, combined with legislation that deters this negative pattern of behaviour will help to minimize this risk and associated expenses. ------------------------------------------------- What is workplace bullying? According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)...

Words: 4151 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Anti Discriminatory Practices

...up by governing bodies that set out principles and rights in the HSC setting. These are international in nature and are binding to countries. For example UNICEF is the worldwide body that governs conventions on the rights of a child. (Ref Unicef.org.uk) Charters These are documents defining the formal organisation of a formal body, for example The United Nations has a charter. (Ref Dictionary.com) Codes of Practice A written set of rules which explain how people working in a particular profession behave. For example the General Social Care Council has a set of codes of practice. (Ref www.scei.org.uk) Regulatory bodies All social care is regulated by the Care Quality Commission. This is an independent body that encompasses all types of health and social care work....

Words: 1878 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Substance Abuse

...Studies have had the evidence to show that pre-drinking personality traits are in those that have had a drinking problem since an early age. Evidence also suggest that such people have a genetically determined brain disorder involving the prefrontal lobes (Tarter et al., 1988). These disturbances lead to deficit disorders, pre-alcoholic essential tremor, emotional instability, and aggressiveness not excluding others. When dealing with substance abuse in the workplace individuals do not leave these problems at home. Of the 17.2 million illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2005, 12.9 million (74.8 percent) were employed either full or part time (OSHA). There has been many who have had accidents in the workplace and have ended up dying have been known to test positive from some kind of substance. Some effects of substance abuse in the workplace are mistakes that are not normally usual. There have been workplace injuries because of substance abuse. There are many substance abuse incidents that has affected the workplace and the individuals involved do not realize the affects...

Words: 550 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Anxitey & Depression

...depression are a present part of life for almost all human beings in this world. This is an illness and not a disease. This illness has incurred due to various factors in present day world which has grown to be challenging, selfish and non caring. This study investigates the various contributing factors of anxiety and depression and theories supporting them which in terms have assisted to address all relevant resolution to manage anxiety and depression in all spheres of society including workplaces. The main focus is on the workplace management of anxiety and depression as the economic dependency based on workplace is the primary key indicator to trigger off the psychological imbalance within human beings. This article elaborates the remedial procedures and responsibilities for both the employees and employer to participate in harmony to overcome the components and mange those which give rise to anxiety and depression. The approach if being managed professionally will arrest the negative mental health of the employees which will add up to incremental productivity which will eliminate cost and bear revenue generations for the organisations. Introduction : Sociological, economical, political and environmental aspects have given to increase trends in anxiety and depression across all sects of human beings across the world. This is leading to the withdrawal symptoms of employees resulting to absenteeism, error in work, low productivity which is resulting to increase of cost and loss...

Words: 2707 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Substance Abuse in the Workplace

...Substance Abuse in the Workplace Valencia Simpson HCA250- Psychology in the Workplace Wakita Bradford August 25, 2013 Substance abuse is the overindulgence in chemical and/or drugs that affect an individual’s physical and mental well-being. There are many factors that influence if someone engages in smoking, drinking alcohol, or use drugs. Many of that is based on personal relationships, society, and sometimes the need to feel like a person is part of the “in crowd”. It not only affects the person that is doing the drugs but also the family and friends of the loved ones. Substance abuse is a disorder that is characterized by a pattern of continued use of medications or controlled substances. The portion of substance abuse that I chose would be marijuana or a legal name would be cannabis. Cannabis is often consumed for its psychoactive and physiological effects which can include heightened mood or euphoria, relaxation, and increase in appetite. Unwanted side-effects can sometimes include a decrease in short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired motor skills, reddening of the eyes, and feelings of paranoia or anxiety. Contemporary uses of cannabis are as a recreational or medicinal drug, and as part of religious or spiritual rites; the earliest recorded uses date from the 3rd millennium BC. Since the early 20th century cannabis has been subject to legal restrictions with the possession, use, and sale of cannabis preparations containing psychoactive cannabinoids currently...

Words: 1004 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Nurs 440 Workplace

...Population in the Workplace Theresa Didion University of Phoenix The burden of mental illness in the United States is among the highest of all diseases, and mental disorders are among the most common causes of disability. The first goal of this paper is the examination of the vulnerable population of the mentally ill. Second, this paper will review the goals and agenda of Healthy People 2020 as it applies to mental illness. Third, this paper will review my work place assessment for barriers for the care and treatment of mentally ill patients. Finally, this paper will review a short presentation I gave to co-workers in an effort to aid in better treatment for the mentally ill. Recent figures suggest that in 2004, approximately 1 in 4 adults in the United States had had a mental health disorder in the past year, most commonly anxiety or depression ("Healthy People 2020 ", n.d.).. It is estimated that only about 17% of U.S. adults are considered to be in a state of optimal mental health ("Healthy People 2020 ", n.d.). An estimated 26% of Americans age 18 and older are living with a mental health disorder in any given year, and 46% will have a mental health disorder over the course of their lifetime ("Healthy People 2020 ", n.d.). Mental health disorders often have a serious impact on physical health and are associated with the prevalence, progression, and outcome of some of today’s most pressing chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Mental health disorders...

Words: 1547 - Pages: 7