A Manager’s Guide for Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace

Abstract

In recent years, mental health has been in the spotlight around the world. In addition to new challenges brought forth by the pandemic, a confluence of other factors drew attention to an issue that has, until now, remained under the radar.

The prevalence of civil unrest, mass shootings, a growing opioid crisis, and a shortage of mental health practitioners all played a part in shining the light on emotional wellbeing.

Today, people receive mental health care from many sources, and many begin in the workplace. Manager referrals to an employee assistance program are highly effective, in part because mental health and substance use are so firmly linked to work performance. It has been widely accepted that an employee struggling with behavioral health issues will hang on tightly to a job until the bitter end. Because of the motivation to hang on to one’s livelihood, the workplace becomes a critical steward of behavioral healthcare.