Your Excellency, Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Good morning. Welcome. Thank you for your interest in this very important subject.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on mental health.
Even before the pandemic, the WHO estimated that 1 in 6 working-age adults experienced some form of mental disorder.
A WHO-commissioned study showed that depression and anxiety increased by more than 25% during the pandemic.
At the same time, the global crisis has highlighted gaps in countries’ capacity to support mental health in the workplace.
As of 2020, only 35% of countries reported having a national program for work-related mental health promotion and prevention.
Just as employers have a responsibility to protect their workers’ physical health from occupational health and safety risks, they also have a responsibility to support their mental health, which has been relatively neglected.
Bullying and harassment, sexual violence, inequality and discrimination, racism, overwork, underpaid wages, a toxic culture, and many other ways work negatively impacts mental health.
At the same time, work itself protects mental health, brings identity and purpose, and, of course, income. Also, for people with mental health issues, good jobs promote recovery and community participation.
Employers have a strong financial interest in supporting the mental health of their employees. An estimated 12 billion workdays are lost to depression and anxiety each year, costing the global economy about $1 trillion annually.
But investment in mental health remains low and the stigma around it remains high.
On average, countries spend about 2% of their health budget on mental health, with some countries having only 2 mental health workers per 100,000 people.
Still, mental health conditions are one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease.
There are proven, positive steps you can take to improve your mental health at work.
Through the WHO Guidelines on Mental Health at Work, WHO has developed evidence-based recommendations for effectively addressing mental health at work. We also worked with the International Labor Organization to develop a policy brief to help implement the recommendations.
But this is not just what we are telling the world to do. This is what we do ourselves.
WHO can be a stressful environment, especially during a pandemic.
Over the last three years, many of our staff have worked long hours and under intense pressure to ensure that countries are provided with the evidence-based advice they need to make potentially life-or-death decisions. I’ve been working
The organization has been through the eye of the storm.
Some staff members have been publicly attacked on social media.
Some have been physically attacked, others have been threatened, and others have lost their lives.
During the Ebola epidemic that has raged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than two years, two staff members were killed by rebels operating in the region.
The mental health impact on their colleagues was severe.
Recognizing that more needs to be done to promote and protect the mental health of staff, several years ago staff were We conducted a survey of
As a result of the feedback we received, we developed a workplace mental health program to identify the mental health needs of our employees and respond accordingly.
For example, we have hired additional staff counselors who can offer individual or group sessions.
There are also external psychosocial support programs.
We regularly host webinars with external mental health professionals on topics such as work-life balance, stress management, loss and grief management, and parenting children with disabilities.
We launched a mobile app for our staff with a variety of resources to help them self-assess and protect their mental health and wellbeing.
In addition, services for mental health and well-being are covered by the staff health insurance program.
Here are three actions you can take to improve your mental health at work.
First, employers can prevent work-related mental health conditions by identifying, modifying, mitigating or eliminating mental health risks.
Second, employers can protect mental health in the workplace by identifying and addressing sources of work stress, strengthening management skills, and training managers to recognize and respond to emotional distress. and promote.
Third, employers should address mental health conditions through programs that coordinate workers’ needs and capabilities, help people return to work, and help people with mental health conditions find employment. can help people with
Ultimately, an investment in mental health is an investment in a better future for workers today and tomorrow.
Because there is no health without mental health.
Thank you very much.
