It’s essential to acknowledge the importance of mental health at work with the impact of employees’ work environment being a substantial contributor to wellbeing. Taking a critical look at your workplace’s ability to address your employee’s mental health will enable you to not only support employees and staff, but can have benefits to your bottom line, to employee engagement and more.
Workplace mental health awareness
It’s easy to think that burnout is the primary mental health challenge in a behavioral health environment. Long hours, high-stakes decisions and exposure to human suffering can all impact employees. But there are other complex issues that can arise, too. From the subtle strain of microaggressions to the overwhelming burden of administrative tasks, these can all come together to silently erode the mental wellbeing of staff. Here are some key issues that could be affecting your employees:
Financial or job insecurity
A study into the link between employment uncertainty and mental health found that job insecurity is associated with the onset of depressive symptoms. It also found that work schedule instability, which can affect addiction treatment centers, increases the likelihood of psychological distress and job absenteeism.
Excessive workload or understaffing
The 2023 Work in America Survey shows that 57 percent of workers experience work-related stress associated with workplace burnout. The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis found in August 2024 that 122 million Americans are living in what they term a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, denoting locations in which there is a substantial shortage of therapists, including counselors for substance use disorders.
With these disorders also increasing by 3.4 percent year-on-year, additional clients combined with a shortage of professionals can put added pressure on substance use disorder treatment centers, leading to heavy workloads. Staff shortages can in turn lead to a challenging workplace dynamic, which only compounds issues.
Abuse from clients
World Health Organization (WHO) studies estimate that between 8 percent and 38 percent of healthcare workers suffer physical abuse at some point in their careers. This rises in high-stress environments—the Patient Violence Towards Counselors in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs study found that more than half of all SUD counselors experience some form of violence.
Counselors reported that exposure to violence led to an increased concern for personal safety (29 percent), impacted their treatment of patients (15 percent), and impaired job performance (12 percent). 44 percent witnessed violence, and 61 percent had knowledge of violence directed at a colleague. Exposure to verbal assault was associated with age, minority status, tenure, recovery status, 12-step philosophy, training in MI/MET, and higher caseloads of patients with co-occurring disorders. Exposure to physical threats was associated with age, gender, and minority status.
Toxic workplaces
A recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that 19 percent of workers say their workplace is very or somewhat toxic, with discrimination, harassment, and bullying listed as common problems.
Lack of control and no sense of belonging
Having little to no control over your job design or workload leads to poor mental health, while not having that crucial sense of belonging and acceptance in the workplace can lead to feelings of isolation and depression.
The effects of poor mental health in the workplace
Harm reduction, overdose prevention, and substance use disorder (SUD) workers may be especially vulnerable to burnout due to underfunding, resources shortages, and chaotic working environments. Failure to prioritize a healthy environment can have a significant financial impact on your company and can affect your business in the following ways:
Unplanned absences and reduced productivity
The WHO estimates that around 12 billion working days are lost globally every year due to depression and anxiety. These mental health issues are often caused or compounded by workplaces that fail to prioritize health and wellbeing.
Increase in long-term sick leave
Health-related absenteeism in general has steadily increased in the United States over the past decade, with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) highlighting a surge in mental health-related leaves of absence.
Lack of engagement
Many organizations underestimate the importance of employees feeling connected and motivated at work. A SAMHSA study found that more than 50 percent of behavioral health providers report symptoms of burnout, which include sustained feelings of exhaustion, professional inefficiency and depersonalization.
Economic costs
A recent WHO study found that poor mental health in the workplace costs the global economy $1 trillion dollars per year. When struggling with their mental health, formerly productive staff members can become excluded from the workplace, through extended ‘mental health leave’ despite the fact that isolation from and lack of connection with colleagues can exacerbate their mental health issues.
How you can act to improve mental health in your workplace
The US Surgeon General has set out an in-depth framework to help organizations improve mental health and well-being in the workplace. It includes developing areas that give workers a voice and ensuring equity throughout the organization. Suggestions include offering opportunities for professional growth, making people feel like they matter at work and helping ensure work-life balance. Here are some practical measures to help improve your workplace and ensure it is a supportive environment for your employees.
Perform a workplace mental health audit
Collect data from employees through anonymous surveys. An audit can help identify your employees’ overall mental health and determine areas where improvements can be made to better support them.
Establish preventative care measures
Provide regular sessions for employees experiencing secondary trauma. Train staff in boundary-setting measures and conduct regular screenings for stress.
Respectful communication
Foster an environment where open, transparent communication is the standard. This includes taking a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment, and microaggressions.
Build support systems
Initiate mentorship programs and support groups that connect staff members who have shared backgrounds or experiences. Offer benefits explicitly for mental health recovery and relief funds and services for crisis situations.
Advanced clinical supervision
Increase the ratio of supervisors to clinicians. Provide regular peer consultation opportunities to discuss challenging cases and reflective meetings with supervisors trained in secondary trauma responses.
Trauma-informed approach
Implement trauma-informed leadership that empowers all employees throughout the organization to communicate in a way that acknowledges the trauma of individuals, yet doesn’t define them by their negative experiences.
Understanding the importance of mental health at work
A supportive work environment is an essential element for employee wellbeing and organizational success. Multiple studies show that when employees feel valued, respected, and supported, they are more likely to be engaged, productive, and committed to their work. This, in turn, leads to higher retention rates, lower absenteeism, and improved overall performance.
With proper training, assistance programs, flexibility, communication, and policy adjustments, you can cultivate a supportive work environment that recognizes the importance of mental health and fosters a positive culture where happy and healthy employees are engaged and productive.
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