Workplace Mental Health: What’s Normal Now?

For the past century, in many countries, the office was the place where people of all ages – and increasingly of all genders, races, nationalities, and ethnicities – gathered.

Lifetime friendships and romances were formed. Rivalries began. And mental health issues emerged: anxiety, depression, even violence. For many people, those one-on-one relationships went away with COVID-19 quarantines. But what happens to the workplace when the pandemic finally eases and people get off Zoom and back into the commuting lanes? Can it be made a healthier and happier place?

In this briefing hosted by the National Press Foundation and the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States, we will explore new trends in workplace mental health and how they will affect societies, businesses, and interpersonal relationships around the world. Read the transcript.

This program was sponsored by Bayer LLC. The National Press Foundation and the Association of Foreign Correspondents are solely responsible for the content.

5 TAKEAWAYS:

➀ Mental health problems in workers may have cost business nearly $200 billion per year, even before the pandemic. And it’s not just lost days due to depression. There are also strong correlations between physical and mental health. People suffering from mental illness are also at higher risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart attack, stroke and some cancers. Mental, neurological and substance use disorders peak in people in their 20s and 30s – prime working years. Partnering with employers is a way to reach most people who need help. “If we do this well, we could improve productivity,” Fallin said.

➁ Pandemic distress is a critical condition. COVID-19 has inflicted psychological distress even on those who haven’t caught the virus. Fear of infection, fear of family members falling ill, feelings of powerlessness, grief and anxiety are all common, Fallin said. The lockdowns and quarantines have also brought social isolation, loss of income, discrimination, violence and other social ailments. Employers need to take note.

➂ COVID-19 has only exacerbated an already-entrenched problem. Prior to the pandemic, studies found one out of every four or five adults dealing with mental health issues. Mental disorders are a chronic condition that can lead to reduced life expectancy from the co-occuring physical and substance use problems.

➃ Mental and behavioral disorders top the list of the costliest illneses in the U.S. One study put the total at $200 billion a year, exceeding that of heart disease, stroke, cancer and obesity. But they are preventable and treatable – and the return on investment of doing so is substantial. Fallin said a $1 investment in mental health promotion returns $3 to $5 in avoided costs. By integrating medical and behavioral health services, the U.S. could save $38-$68 billion a year, she said.

➄ Most people don’t get the care they need. Stigmatization continues to prevent people from seeking assistance, even when it is available to them. “Although we have the toolbox for prevention and treatment, most folks who need that treatment don’t receive it,” Fallin said. She estimated that only 40% of Americans get the care they need. The unmet need is much worse in low-and middle-income countries.