Promoting Mental Health in the Workplace
A Competitive Advantage
You're probably concerned about your employees' health and wellness. You may have an interest in promoting a healthy work environment and also worry about the expense of providing mental health coverage for your staff. These are all valid concerns.
But there are many reasons why addressing your workforce's mental health makes good business sense. A growing body of research shows that employers' costs due to staff mental health problems are far greater than just the costs on the mental health service bill.
Lower Medical Costs
The mind/body connection is undeniable. People who have untreated mental health issues use more general health services than those who seek mental health care when they need it. That translates to dramatic and unnecessary increases in your organization's healthcare bill. A few alarming facts:
Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress, and stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. In fact, chronic stress may double the risk of heart attack. Both depression and chronic stress can weaken the immune system and make people vulnerable to a host of illnesses.
Reduce Absenteeism, Boost Productivity and Improve Work Quality
More than 90 percent of employees agree that their mental health and personal problems spill over into their professional lives and have a direct impact on their job performance.
Mental health conditions are actually the second leading cause of absenteeism. Some interesting statistics:
Three out of four employees who seek care for workplace issues or mental health problems see substantial improvement in work performance after treatment. According to the RAND Corporation, depression results in more "bed" days than many other medical ailments, including ulcers, diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis. Effective treatment of mental illnesses, especially depression, is associated with improved outcomes for chronic physical disorders.
Good for Workers, Good for the Bottom Line
Current data clearly support the case that employers benefit financially from paying more attention to their staff members' mental health needs. The bad news is that mental health problems are prevalent. They can strike anyone regardless of age, ethnic background, gender or socioeconomic status. Each year, in a typical office of 20 people, four will suffer from a mental health problem.
"A sound mind is a sound body is a short but full description of a happy state in this world." --John Locke, 1693
Mental Health Treatment is Effective
The good news is that there are highly effective, cost-efficient and scientifically validated treatments for mental illness. Mental health problems actually have better treatment outcome rates than the vast majority of common medical conditions. Many corporations across the country report that promoting mental health as part of an overall wellness campaign has resulted in reduced health expenses and other financial gains for their organizations. Launching an educational program on mental health just takes a little planning and time. The staff at Peninsula Community Mental Health Center is here to help!
Log on to these free calculators to find out how depression and alcoholism are affecting your organization's bottom line:
For more information, contact Peninsula Community Mental Health Center at (360) 457-0431