Make this 'business case' for mental health interventions
December 1, 2009 3 minutes read
Make this 'business case' for mental health interventions
It's an investment in human capital'
If an employee is newly diagnosed with diabetes, he or she would likely be able to obtain a significant amount of resources for prevention, screening and treatment of this condition. Would this also be true if that employee suffered from depression?
"The impact of employees who struggle with mental and substance abuse disorders is immense - and highly overlooked by employers," according to Nancy W. Spangler, MS, OTR/L, a consultant to the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health and president of Leawood, KS-based Spangler Associates Inc. "These conditions have a tremendous impact on work attendance and performance, and they frequently contribute to disability."
A new study shows that effective treatment for employee mental health problems significantly improves productivity. 1 Researchers analyzed data on mental health symptoms, treatment, and productivity in over 60,000 Australian employees. They found that with effective treatment, productivity of employees with mental health problems increased to levels near that of other employees.
"In general, the increase in employee performance outweighs the cost of treatment," says study author Michael Hilton, project director at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research in Australia. "Thus, employers should not see employee mental health services as a cost, but rather an investment in human capital."
Don't expect overnight results
You shouldn't expect employees who enter treatment for a mental disorder to become more productive right away. "It may take some time for the symptoms to remit due to treatment, and therefore, some time for productivity to increase," says Hilton.
Spangler says that occupational health professionals "can play a number of important roles to help employees dealing with emotional issues and mental disorders." Take these steps:
Make the financial connection.
"Share resources with executives that help explain the human and financial costs of mental illness in the workplace," says Spangler.
Improve awareness about mental disorders.
One way of doing this is to include questions about stress and depression in health risk appraisals. "Develop strategies for following up with those people who are at risk, such as print information or phone calls," says Spangler.
Managers may need training in order to recognize employees in distress, and then, refer them to mental health resources through your health plan or community. "Help them understand the fine line between respecting employee privacy and ignoring pleas for help," says Spangler.
Prevent stress and strain that can trigger disorders.
Spangler recommends partnering with other departments, such as human resources, employee assistance, health promotion, safety, and disability management to identify overlapping physical and mental conditions. "Create stress-reducing environments and practices, such as areas for quiet relaxation and flexible scheduling," she says. "Offer programs in building resilience and coping skills, such as yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, and relaxation."
Help employees who do go out on behavioral health-related disability return to work successfully.
"Work with managers to set return-to-work dates for those out on disability leave. Help build employee confidence about returning to their role," says Spangler. "Or, work with management to find an alternative placement that helps the employee return more successfully."
Reference
1. Hilton MF, Scuffham PA, Sheridan JD, et al. The association between mental disorders and productivity in treated and untreated employees. J Occup Environ Med. 2009; 51(9):996-1003.
SOURCES
For more information on employees with mental disorders, contact:
Michael Hilton, Project Director, The WORC Project, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Sumner Park, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
Mike Kushner, Risk Management Director, Polk County Florida, Bartow, FL. Phone: (863) 559-1157. E-mail: [email protected]
Nancy W. Spangler, MS, OTR/L, President, Spangler Associates Inc., Leawood, KS. Phone: (816) 820-1870. E-mail: [email protected].
If an employee is newly diagnosed with diabetes, he or she would likely be able to obtain a significant amount of resources for prevention, screening and treatment of this condition. Would this also be true if that employee suffered from depression?You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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