Mind Your Mind @Work

Because Workplace Mental Wellness Matters

http://mindyourmindproject.org/
 Learning Objectives

 Discuss why employee mental wellness matters

 Identify mental health issues in the workplace

 Define key elements of workplace mental wellness

 Explore resources and tools

 Health & Wellness

 Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social

well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity. ~WHO

 Wellness is not the absence of disease, illness or stress,

but the presence of purpose in life, active involvement in
satisfying work and play, joyful relationships, a healthy
body and living environment, and happiness. ~SAMHSA
 Mental Wellness

 The capacity of each and all of us to feel, think, and act in ways
that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the
challenges we face. It is a positive sense of emotional and
spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture,
equity, social justice, interconnections and personal dignity.

~Public Health Agency of Canada

 8 Dimensions of Wellness

 Emotional
 Environmental
 Financial
 Intellectual
 Occupational
 Physical
 Social
 Spiritual
Workplace Mental Wellness
Matters

 Lower total medical costs

 Decreased disability costs
 Better workplace relations
 Increased loyalty and retention
 Increased productivity and motivation
 Reduced absenteeism and presenteeism
 Diversity, acceptance and respect
"Business Case." Workplace Mental Health. Web. 2016.
 Workplace Mental Wellness
Matters

Mental illness and substance use disorders contribute to:

 217 million lost workdays due to productivity decline

 $80 - $100 billion annually in indirect costs

National Business Group on Health: An Employer’s Guide to Behavioral Health Services. 2010.
 Mental Health Issues in the
Workplace

 Stress
 Depression
 Alcohol
 Tobacco
 Marijuana
 Prescription Drugs
 Problem Gambling
 Eating Disorders
 Job Stress

65% of Americans
cite work as their number one stressor due to:

 Low salaries
 Excessive workloads
 Lack of social support
 Work that isn't engaging or challenging
 Few opportunities for growth or advancement
 Not having enough control over job-related decisions
 Conflicting demands or unclear performance expectations
“Coping With Stress at Work.” American Psychological Association. Web. 2016.
 Depression

 1 in 10 people will deal with depression at some time in their lives

 Depression is a major cause of disability, absenteeism,

presenteeism, and productivity loss among working adults

 Costing US workplaces $23 billion per year in lost productivity

“Workplace Health Promotion – Depression.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2013. Web. 2016.
Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, 1/2011 – 12/2012
 Depression and
Chronic Disease

 28.5% of diabetic patients in the United States meet criteria

for clinical depression

 Healthcare use and healthcare costs are twice as high

among heart disease patients with co-occuring depression

"Mental Health and Chronic Disease.” Issue Brief No 2. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. National Healthy Worksite. Oct. 2012. Web. 2016.
 Suicide

 Oregon’s suicide rate is 42% higher than the national rate

 Suicide among working aged people is a growing problem

 Men of working age (21-65) bear the largest public health burden
due to suicide - more than for HIV, homicide, diabetes or stroke

Shen X, Millet L. Suicides in Oregon: Trends and Associated Factors. 2003-2012. Oregon Health Authority,
Portland, Oregon.

"Suicide Prevention Fact Sheet." Working Minds. Carson J Spencer Foundation. Web. 2008.
 Alcohol & Other Drugs

 One study showed that 35 percent of patients with an

occupational injury were at-risk drinkers

 70% of the estimated 14.8 million Americans who use illegal

drugs are employed

 Marijuana is the most commonly used and abused illegal (in

most places) drug by employees, followed by cocaine

 Prescription drug abuse is steadily increasing

“Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace.” National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. Web. 2015.
 Prescription Drugs

 Narcotics account for 25% of drug cost claims

 Work-related issues associated with increased pain medication :

o Work-related injuries that initiate prescription drug

(including opioid) use and subsequent misuse

o Increases in worker injuries associated with use of such

drugs as contributing or causative factors
“Prescription Drug Overdose prevention." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. Jan. 2016.
 Tobacco

Tobacco use is higher among people with a mental illness:

 31% of cigarettes are smoked by adults with mental illness

 40% of men and 34% of women with mental illness smoke

“Smoking Among Adults with Mental Illness." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. Feb. 2013.
 Eating Disorders

 In the US, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from a

clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life

 Eating disorders have serious health effects that can lead to lost
productivity and long-term medical problems

 Wellness programs that promote mental and physical health can

be beneficial, as long as the focus is not on weight loss

“Eating Disorders in the Workplace.” National Eating Disorders Association. 2016.

 Problem Gambling

 A problem gambler is anyone whose gambling is causing

psychological, financial, emotional, marital, legal, or other
difficulties for themselves or the people around them

 > 60,000 adult employed in Oregon are problem gamblers

 The workplace is used as a shield to hide the problem

gambling from family members; this leaves managers and
co-workers as the first line of defense
“Problem Gambling in the Workplace.” Oregon Department of Human Services. Web. 2016.
 Seeking Help

71% of workers with mental illnesses

have never sought help from a medical or mental health specialist:

 No coverage or not knowing what is covered by health insurance

 Lack of awareness of Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
 Not knowing where to go for services
 Concerns about confidentiality
 Opinions of coworkers
 Stigma that surrounds mental illness

“A Mentally Healthy Workforce – It’s Good for Business.” Partnership for Workplace Mental Health. 2006. Web. 2016.
 Stigma Reduction

“The investment does not call for massive budgets; rather, it calls for the
willingness of each of us to educate ourselves and others about mental
health and mental illness, and thus to confront the attitudes, fear, and
misunderstanding that remain as barriers before us.”

~David Satcher, MD, PhD, Surgeon General, 1999

 Elements of
Workplace Mental Wellness

 Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

 Practices that support employee wellness and work-life balance
 Training for managers and supervisors in mental health issues
 Support for employees who seek treatment and/or who require
hospitalization such as disability leave and planning for a return to work
 Coverage that treats mental illness with the same urgency as physical illness
 Communication to all employees about mental wellness, to promote a climate
of acceptance that reduces stigma and discrimination in the workplace
 A supportive work culture

"Mental Health and Chronic Disease.” Issue Brief No 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Healthy Worksite. Oct.
2012. Web. 2016.
 Elements of
A Supportive Work Culture

 Values diversity & each individual

 Provides standards for interacting with one another
 Recognizes employees for their good work
 Enhances employee self-confidence and productivity
 Aligns actions of managers with company values
 Promotes mental health resources to employees
 Ensures confidentiality and an employee’s right to privacy
 Reduces stigma by educating managers and employees
 Treats people with mental illness with respect and dignity
“A Mentally Health Friendly Workplace.” US Department of Health and Human Services. 2007.
 Mind Your Mind @Work

Mind Your Mind @Work Toolkit:

 PowerPoint Presentation
 Organizational Assessment
 Newsletter Articles
 Sample Policies
 Resources
 Thank You!

www.mindyourmindproject.org

Contact:
[email protected]

www.preventionlane.org