Around 1 in 5 adults struggle with mental health issues each year, costing the US economy half a trillion dollars annually. Untreated mental disorders can result in decreased productivity and income, increased workplace accidents, and higher staff turnover rates. Most US adults believe workplaces should support employees' mental health. Managers can lead by becoming a Chief Mental Health Officer who educates themselves, builds a supportive culture, reduces stressors, identifies at-risk employees, and provides appropriate assistance and accommodations.

1. Around 1 in 5 adults (43.8 million)¹
will struggle with mental health issues in a given year
Mental Health at Work
Managers Lead the Way
The Mental Health
Landscape in the U.S. Mental Well-being at Work
Mood disorders are the 3rd leading cause
of hospitalization among youth and adults²
Mental illnesses cost
the U.S. economy a
half-trillion dollars
per year³
Untreated mental
disorders can result in⁴
Loss of work days due to
mental health problems
account for 35-45%
of all absenteeism in many
developed countries³
Decreased productivity at work
Reduced income
Increased workplace accidents
Higher staff turnover rates
77% of U.S. adults
agree workplaces should take
active steps to help their
employees' mental health⁵
Take the time
to reflect
A CMHO is a manager that understands the
impact of mental well-being in the workplace
and actively works to create an environment
that promotes open discussions around
mental health and supports employees
struggling with related illnesses.
Assess your knowledge of mental health
and be aware of your biases
Strengthen your
emotional intelligence
Learn to recognize and control your
emotions as well as understand that of
others to guide your thinking and behavior
Compassionate Management of Mental Health in the Modern Workplace provides a guide for managers, human resources staff, chief medical
officers, development heads and other organization leaders to generate key questions and action items to support employees’ mental well-being.
Set the tone
Build a workplace culture that encourages
open conversations around mental health
Ask employees for feedback on workplace
stress and desired support
Be aware of the impact your own stress and
actions may have on others
Reduce stressors
at work
Provide advice and support at inflection
points such as personal life changes,
professional transitions, company restructuring
and impactful world events
Identify the best person to complete a
project based on their skills, or modify the
task to minimize stress
Offer engaging and alternative working
environments, such as open floor plans,
telecommuting and flexible hours
Identify at-risk
employees
Learn the major symptoms of the most
common conditions: depression, anxiety
and substance abuse
Start a conversation - ask gentle probing
questions, avoid pre-conceived notions
and provide reassurance about your
intentions to help
Provide the right
support
Createanactionplanthatsuitsthe employee’s
unique situation and provide the necessary
accommodations
Balance the needs of the individual, their
colleagues and the organization
¹National Institute of Mental Health. Mental Illness. Accessed October 2018. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml
²Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, The Department of Health & Human Services. 2009. HCUP Facts and Figures: Statistics on Hospital-based Care in the United States, 2009. Available at:
http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/factsandfigures/2009/pdfs/FF_report_2009.pdf
³Quelch, J.A. et al. Compassionate Management of Mental Health in the Modern Workplace. 2018.
⁴World Federation of Mental Health. Mental Health in the Workplace. 2017. Available at: https://wfmh.global/wp-content/uploads/2017-wmhd-report-english.pdf
⁵Statista. Percentage of U.S. adults that agreed or disagreed that workplaces should take active steps to help their employees' mental health as of 2018. 2018. Available at:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/872651/us-opinions-on-employer-mental-health-help/
Why it matters and how managers can lead the way
Become the Chief Mental
Health Officer (CMHO)