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Male Mental Health: Why It Matters in the Workplace
The document discusses the stigma surrounding male mental health in the workplace, particularly in male-dominated industries like manufacturing and construction, where men are less likely to seek help for mental health issues. It highlights the consequences of this stigma, such as higher rates of alcohol dependency and suicide among men, and emphasizes the link between mental and physical health. The text suggests practical steps for organizations to address these issues, including promoting mental health awareness, providing support resources, and encouraging open discussions about emotional well-being.
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Male Mental Health: Why It Matters in the Workplace
- 1. Male Mental Health- Why It Matters in the Workplace Presented by: Bernard L. Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSP, FAIHA June 2, 2020 – Georgia World Congress Center
- 2. Introduction • Stigma ofmental illness in market segments dominated by men • Affect industries like manufacture and construction • Lack of openness about personal feelings and confinement of emotional intelligence • Studies show financial burden is increasing with healthcare cost • Global problem based on unintended consequences • Stress, anxiety and depression are the main concerns for men
- 3. Introduction • Mental illnessaffects both men and women but the prevalence is lower in men • Men with mental illness are less likely to receive medical treatment • Men are more likely to die from suicide than women because of the hidden despair • Men and women can develop most of the same mental disorders and conditions but may experience different symptoms
- 4. • ‘Mental health’and ‘mental illness’ are often though of and used interchangeably – Incorrect • Mental illness’ is defined as “a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction • ‘Mental health’ speaks to mental well-being; the full spectrum of emotions, thoughts and feelings, and either good or bad. • Mental health refers to our level of happiness, fulfillment and joy; how we feel about ourselves, how well we manage problems and overcoming difficulties and stressful events Mental Health v. Mental Illness
- 5. Men and MentalHealth • Feared reaction by their managers • Felt their managers would look on them less favorably • Most men take time off work for an injury or flu, few take time off for mental health reasons • Men are more likely to self-medicate using alcohol or illegal drugs • Men are almost three times more likely than women to become alcohol dependent (8.7% of men verses 3.3% of women)
- 6. • Men, onaverage, how often have you experienced anxiety, stress, depression, loneliness, worthlessness or sadness while at work in your current job? Poll Question Never Weekly Monthly Annually Frequently
- 7. Disparities in UnderservedPopulations • About 15% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental or behavioral health condition (WHO, 2016) • Studies show ethnic minority populations are same risk for mental health conditions as white counterparts • Returning military personnel suffer from more from PTSD, TBI, depression, substance abuse and social withdrawal • Rural populations show 18.7% of residents (6.5 million people) had a diagnosable mental health disorder
- 8. Real Reason WhyMen Don’t Talk About Mental Health • Men are less likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than women • Men are statistically less likely to talk about mental health and more about violence and gambling than women • Men are taught to suppress their feelings and emotions, which may result in drug and alcohol use • You can’t get help without telling the world you need it – don’t allow it to manifest itself • Lack of reporting symptoms represents a global “silent crisis”
- 9. Old Problem –New Perspectives • Workplaces are now beginning to recognize male mental health is a real issue management must address • Stereotypes and attitudes about masculinity play a major role in the current mental health problems plaguing male-dominated workplaces • At an early age, boys often taught to hide feelings, a form of conditioning, say many health care experts • “We raise boys and men not to cry, not to show emotions”
- 10. Grand Challenges • Identifyroot causes, risk and protective factors • Advance prevention and implement early interventions • Improve treatments and expand access to care • Raise awareness of the global burden • Build human resource capacity • Transform health system and policy responses Ref: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/organization/cgmhr/grandchallenges/index.shtml
- 11. Are you alright? Howare you feeling? Let’s take a walk!
- 12. Stigma of mentalillness can be deadly in sectors that are traditionally dominated by men. Historically, heavy manufacturing and construction around the world have never been perceived as environments where workers felt comfortable discussing their problems. Stress is a common issue in many workplaces globally.
- 13. Male Superstars withMental Health and Mental Illness Issues • Justin Verlander • Mark Wahlberg • Prince Harry • Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson • Michael Phelps • Adam Levine • Jon Hamm • Howie Mandel • Ryan Reynolds • Trevor Noah
- 14. Mental and physicalhealth is fundamentally linked together - Mind Body Dualism Associations between mental and physical health are: • Poor mental health is a risk factor for chronic physical conditions • People with serious mental health conditions are at high risk of experiencing chronic physical conditions • People with chronic physical conditions are at risk of developing poor mental health Connecting Mental and Physical Health
- 15. Australia's Health 2016National Report Card; Mental health conditions were reported as a co-morbidity: • 36% of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) • 30% of people with back pain and problems • 29% of people with asthma Suffering from a mental illness: • 2-3 times more likely to suffer from diabetes than general population • Almost four times more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease (CVD) • Coronary heart disease carries an independent risk factor of depression Connecting Mental and Physical Health
- 17. Warning Signs: MaleMental Health • Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness • Change in mood, energy or appetite • Difficulty sleeping or sleep too much • Difficulty concentrating, feeling restless, or on edge • Increased worry or feeling stressed • Misuse of alcohol and/or drugs • Sadness or hopelessness • Suicidal thoughts • Feeling flat or trouble feeling positive • Engaging in high-risk activities • Aches, headaches, digestive problems • Obsessive thinking or compulsive behavior • Thoughts or behaviors interfere with work, family, or social life • Unusual thinking or behaviors that concern other people Ref: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/men-and-mental-health/index.shtml
- 18. Mental Health StressFactors • High demands • Low job control • Work overload or pressure • Lack of control and participation indecision-making • Unclear work role • Job insecurity • Long working hours • Bullying • Poor communication • Inadequate resources
- 19. Mental Illness Issues •AnxietyDisorders including social phobia •Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, ADD) •Autism Spectrum Disorder •Bipolar Disorder •Borderline Personality Disorder •Depression •Frontal Temporal Dementia • Eating Disorders • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder • Schizophrenia • Substance Use Disorder • Suicide Prevention • Stress Wide range of mental and physical conditions are outcomes from:
- 20. Frequency of MentalHealth • 49% of workers not comfortable disclosing a mental health issue • Workplace mental ill-health costs employers £26 B per year • 18 million days lost to sickness rom mental health conditions • 74% with a mental health issue >1 year are out of work
- 21. Frequency of MentalIllness • One in six workers suffer from anxiety, depression and stress • Severe and enduring mental illness can increase premature mortality rates by to 15-20 years • 55% with depression or anxiety for >1 year are out of work • 49% of workers not comfortable disclosing a mental health issue
- 22. US States -Highest Mental Illness • Arizona • West Virginia • District of Columbia • Tennessee • Mississippi • Indiana • Idaho • Oregon • Utah • Nevada Ref: https://www.mhanational.org/issues/2017-state-mental-health-america-ranking- states
- 23. Countries - HighRates of Mental Illness • Switzerland - 35.1% • France - 32% • Germany - 30.9% • USA - 30.9% • Netherlands - 30.8% • Belgium - 29.4% • Australia - 29.4% • Spain - 27.4% • Japan - 24.6% • Brazil - 20.3% https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/16-countries-with-the-highest-mental- illness-rates-in-the-world-649757/
- 24. Prevalence of MentalIllness Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2018) Ref: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHFFR2017/NSDUHFFR2017.pdf.
- 25. Prevalence of MentalIllness Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2018) Ref: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHFFR2017/NSDUHFFR2017.pdf.
- 27. • Men morelikely to repress complaints at a deeper level • Perceived as not masculine, ridicule among peers • Depth of despair and strength differ between men and women
- 42. Mental Health RiskFactors in Workplaces Job Stressors Examples Factors unique to the job • Workload (overload and underload) • Pace/variety/meaningfulness of work • Autonomy - ability to make your own decisions about your own job or about specific tasks) • Shiftwork/hours of work • Physical environment (noise, air quality, etc.) Role in the organization • Role conflict (conflicting job demands, multiple supervisors/managers) • Role ambiguity (lack of clarity about responsibilities, expectations, etc.) • Level of responsibility
- 43. Mental Health RiskFactors in Workplaces Job Stressors Examples Career Development • Under/over-promotion • Job security (redundancy fear either economy, or a lack of tasks or work to do) • Career development opportunities • Overall job satisfaction Relationships at Work • Supervisors; coworkers; subordinates • Threat of violence, harassment, personal safety Organizational structure and climate • Participation/non-participation in decision-making • Management style • Communication patterns
- 44. Annualized Cost forMental Health at Work
- 45.
- 46. • Men haveyou used your mental health benefits as part of your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? Poll Question Not offered Never Monthly Annually Frequently
- 47. • France Telecomand former managers were criminally prosecuted for institutional harassment associated with employee suicides • Investigating judges analyzed 39 cases of employees reported being harassed • Nineteen ultimately committed suicide Company Guilty - Institutional Harassment
- 48. • Awareness ofthe hazard and risk • Accountability for actions and inactions • Actionable items: • Identify your key people performance indicators • Determine sick time costs • Explore opportunity risks • Clarify business cost of doing nothing • Calculate spending on employee mental health support • Demonstrate contrast between risk and cost Business Cost of Ignoring Mental Health
- 49. • Employers understandhow poor mental health impacts their bottom line. It also impacts their brand, image, and reputation • Impacts of poor mental health cost UK employers between £33 billion and £42 billion a year • More than half of the cost is related to presenteeism, defined as lost productivity due to poor mental health, with additional costs from sickness absence and staff turnover • EU study found that each case of a stress-related illness leads to an average of 30.9 lost days of work Increasing Awareness in the Workplace
- 50. • Message isreaching more small to mid-size employers, who are beginning to understand the risks that mental health issues pose to employees • Increased and distinct level of attention from senior executives on male mental health in their organizations • New focus and acceptance are changing the conversation and creating an improved level of awareness in the workplace • Understand governmental agencies, workers’ compensation and healthcare providers have resources to provide resources and help Increasing Awareness in the Workplace
- 51. • Deloitte (2017)analyzed 23 companies that invested in mental health, the results showed a consistently positive return • Companies investing in proactive support like workshops, mental health and wellbeing coaching saw a maximum ROI of 6:1 • If companies invest in cultural change and raising awareness, they saw a maximum ROI of 8:1 • FTSE 100 companies who do this return up to three times more profit than those who don’t Investing in Men’s Mental Health Ref: https://delphislearning.com/mental-health/presenteeism-and-mental-health/
- 52. • Understand thecommon denominators for may male mental health issues and impact on business, society, policy, and economy • Promote confidential mental health services available for men who are struggling with depression and suicide • Change perception that current mental health services are set up mainly to serve women • Reiterate men suffer from mental health issues like women and help is available so nobody needs to suffer in silence Changing the Landscape Ref: Ogrodniczuk J, Oliffe J, Kuhl D, Gross PA. Men's mental health: Spaces and places that work for men. Can Fam Physician. 2016;62(6):463–464.
- 53. • Introduce dedicatedcounselling service or helpline for mental health issues • Provide practical training on mental health issues including mental health first aid • Use positive language and tone to foster a culture of support and openness to workers needing help and reassurance without any stigma • Adopt a mental health toolkit with advice on how to prevent suicides Practical Steps
- 54. • Encourage staffto talk about their emotional lives • Train managers to spot signs of mental health and mental illness • Talking can aid good mental health and avoid bigger problems • Highlight importance of work/life balance • Show flexibility when experiencing mental health issues • Offer activities outside the workplace Support for Mental Health
- 55. • Use resourcesfrom governmental agencies, organizations, and other sources which are available for mental health support • MHA Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, a certification program that recognizes employers committed to creating mentally healthy workplaces • Clifford Beers Society connects leaders within the national mental health advocacy community • Re-define sick days, flexible hours, hours worked, special days or time off work, and working remotely • Review absence policies and keep-in-touch arrangements • Audit/update corporate policy, program and procedures Practical Steps
- 56. • Understand relationshipbetween mental health and diverse global contexts • Identify barriers to embedding mental health into curriculum • Teaching, learning and assessment activities to promote mental health • Identify impacts, positive and negative, on student mental health Mental Health Training
- 57. Male Mental Healthin the Workplace