The global theme for World Mental Health Day 2024, “It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace”, calls on employers, governments, and individuals to take urgent action to address the mental health challenges faced by workers. In todayβs fast-paced and demanding work environments, stress, burnout, and mental health crises are common. This theme serves as a reminder that workplace mental health must be treated with the same priority as physical safety and that healthy and supportive work environments are essential for overall well-being.
This day also presents a crucial opportunity to spotlight an issue that has been steadily gaining attention β workplace mental health and suicide prevention. An open letter, recently released by the IASP Special Interest Group on Suicide and the Workplace, calls for urgent action from public health authorities, workplace health and safety regulators, trade unions, employers, suicide prevention associations, and other stakeholders to recognise, investigate, and prevent work-related suicides.
The letter outlines a comprehensive strategy to prevent work-related suicides by advocating for five key actions. First, the letter proposes a formal definition for work-related suicides as βdeath by suicide that is wholly or partly caused by work or working conditions (both physical and relational)β. Second, it emphasises that all suicides with potential links to work should be thoroughly investigated by relevant authorities to uncover any contributing workplace factor. The letter also advocates for including work-related suicides in occupational health data to assess trends and inform policy changes for better prevention. Further, the letter suggests regulating and controlling workplace mental health risks and recommends work-related suicides to be eligible for government compensation, just like other work-related injuries or deaths.
In many industries, there is a growing recognition that mental health is just as critical as physical safety. However, we still see gaps in how workplace mental health risks are managed. Research has shown that employment can be a protective factor against suicide, especially when compared to unemployment. Yet, the letter highlights the paradox that even those at work can be at risk if their job environment is mentally harmful. Taking proactive steps to protect employees’ mental well-being includes creating supportive environments, normalising mental health conversations, and implementing policies that tackle workplace stressors.
As we reflect on the importance of this day, it is worth noting that several events have turned the spotlight on mental health in the workplace. Globally, we are seeing countries like Australia, Canada, France, and Japan take steps to regulate workplace mental health more robustly, including identifying and mitigating mental health hazards. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also launched the WHO guidelines on mental health at work and the Global health and care worker compact, which provide evidence-based recommendations to promote mental health and support individuals with mental health conditions at work.
On this World Mental Health Day, we need to recognise that workplaces have a duty to protect both the physical and mental well-being of their employees. As the open letter highlights, suicides are preventable, and the workplace can be either a source of protection or harm. By adopting these five proposed actions, governments, employers, and public health authorities can change the narrative on workplace mental health and reduce the growing rate of work-related suicides.