Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,
Good morning and welcome, and thank you all for your interest in this very important subject.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll on mental health – a toll we are still trying to fully understand.
Even before the pandemic, WHO estimated that 1 in 6 working age adults experienced some type of mental disorder.
Research commissioned by WHO indicates that during the pandemic, depression and anxiety increased by more than 25%.
At the same time, the global crisis highlighted the gaps in country capacity to support mental health at work.
As of 2020, only 35% of countries reported having national programmes for work-related mental health promotion and prevention.
Just as employers have a responsibility to protect the physical health of their workers from occupational health and safety risks, they also have a responsibility to support their mental health, yet this has been comparatively neglected.
There are many ways in which work can negatively affect mental health, including through bullying and harassment, sexual violence, inequality and discrimination, racism, heavy workloads, underpayment, a toxic culture and more.
At the same time, work can itself protect mental health, providing a sense of identity and purpose, and of course, income. And for people with mental health conditions, good work can promote recovery and inclusion in the community.
There is a strong economic interest for employers to support the mental health of their employees. Every year, an estimated 12 billion workdays are lost to depression and anxiety, costing the global economy approximately US$1 trillion a year.
Yet investment in mental health remains low, and the stigma surrounding it remains high.
On average, countries spend around 2% of their health budget on mental health, and in some countries there are as few as two mental health workers for every 100,000 people.
And yet, mental health conditions are among the leading contributors to the global burden of disease.
There are proven, positive steps that can be taken to improve mental health at work.
Through the WHO Guidelines on mental health at work, WHO has produced evidence-based recommendations for effectively addressing mental health at work. And together with the International Labour Organization, we have produced a policy brief to support implementation of the recommendations.
But this is not something we are just telling the rest of the world to do. This is something we are doing ourselves.
WHO can be a high-stress environment, especially – but not only – during a pandemic.
During the past three years, many of our staff have worked under intense pressure, working long hours to ensure we give countries the evidence-based advice they need to make decisions that can be the difference between life and death.
The organization has been moving through the eye of the storm.
Some of our staff have been attacked publicly on social media.
Some have been attacked physically, some have been threatened and some have lost their lives.
During the Ebola outbreak that raged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than two years, two of our staff were killed by rebel groups that operate in the area.
The effects on the mental health of their colleagues was profound.
Recognising that we needed to do more to promote and protect the mental health of our staff, a few years ago we ran a survey of staff to get their feedback on their experiences, their needs, and the services we are providing.
As a result of the feedback we received, we have now developed a mental health at work programme to identify the mental health needs of our workforce, and respond accordingly.
For example, we have recruited additional staff counsellors, who can provide individual or group sessions;
We also have an external psychosocial support programme;
We hold regular webinars with external mental health experts, on topics such as work-life balance, stress management, managing loss and grief, parenting children with disabilities, and more.
We’ve launched a mobile app for staff with a variety of resources to enable staff to self-assess and protect their own mental health and well-being.
And we’ve ensured that services for mental health and well-being are covered under our staff health insurance programme.
Let me leave you with three actions to improve mental health at work:
First, employers can prevent work-related mental health conditions by identifying and modifying, mitigating or removing risks to mental health.
Second, employers can protect and promote mental health at work, by training managers to identify and act on sources of work stress, strengthen management skills and recognize and respond to emotional distress.
Third, employers can support those with mental health conditions, by making adjustments for the needs and capacities of the worker, supporting people to return to work, and through programmes to support people with mental health conditions to enter employment.
Ultimately, investing in mental health is investing in a better future – for the workers of today, and tomorrow.
Because there is no health without mental health.
I thank you.