 Three ways to break the stigma around mental health at work. Mental health issues are a common problem facing people around the world, and the related statistics are telling. Currently, about 450 million people are living with some kind of mental disorder. According to the World Health Organization, about 25% of the global population will experience a mental disorder at least once in their lifetime. On average, about one out of every five of us will experience mental ill health every year. In some labor forces, like Australia's, mental health problems hold the dubious honor of being the third leading cause of disability. And in 2015, the US Department of Labor predicted that at least 3% of a company's staff would be absent every day. However, despite evidence showing just how common this condition is, it's been estimated that up to two-thirds of people with a known mental health condition choose not to seek professional help. Why is this so? Access to care, language barriers, and a dearth of quality resources are a few reasons why, but perhaps the most insidious reason is stigma. Mental health stigma exists, and it doesn't necessarily stop at the workplace. Stigma has a powerful influence in the world of mental health issues. Many at large often views people living with mental disorders as fragile, incapable, unstable, dangerous, or violent. People with mental health challenges are often believed to be incapable of leading productive and fulfilling lives, indeed, sufferers themselves may even believe this. Research doesn't tend to support these assumptions, but media and cultural expectations often bolster them, anyway. These assumptions, real or imagined, can discourage people living with mental ill health to seek much needed treatment. Their condition may make them feel ashamed, weak, and alone, which of course only compounds their mental health issue and propagates a vicious feedforward cycle of stress, isolation, and illness. Mental health issues on the job If we agree that stigma about mental health is almost everywhere we look, then it becomes clear how the same stigma can exist in the workplace too. Specifically, both employers and employees may assume a mental health problem will render a person less productive, less organized, and less able to focus on their tasks at hand. Of course, in some cases this can actually hold true, especially if an individual hasn't sought treatment for their underlying disorder. Many workplace team members living with a mental health issue choose to hide their issues. They often fear for their job security or are afraid to risk losing face in front of their bosses, colleagues, and customers. On their end, employers may not have the tools and tactics to talk to their employees about their suffering. Indeed, an employer may not even be aware that one of the team members is suffering from a mental health issue in the first place. Unlike a broken ankle or other physical ailment, mental health conditions are often invisible and difficult to recognize. Three Ways to Reduce Stigma Associated with Workplace Mental Health Issues A workplace culture that stigmatizes against workplace mental health issues can be detrimental to both individuals within a company and to the company as a whole. Breaking through this stigma can be extremely difficult. Here are three ways to get started. 1. Educate at all levels. From senior executives to entry-level team members, everyone in your company can benefit from learning more about mental health. Consider sending out company-wide memos, holding in services, inviting guest speakers, or even running annual events such as Mental Health Month as a way to disseminate information and reduce the fear, stigma, and mystery surrounding mental health. 2. Ensure everyone on your team has access to help. Work with your HR team or consultants to raise awareness about policies and programs designed to support both physical and mental health. Use discretion and show that you respect your employee's privacy. 3. Make your anti-discrimination policies clear. As a manager, it's in your best interest to show your employees that they will not be discriminated against due to a mental health issue. Remember that to succeed you must lead by example. Show that by acknowledging and seeking help for a health issue, a person can become an even more valuable employee at your company, rather than a liability. Remember, stigma may be real but there's also hope. There are also people like you all around the world determined to make a difference. You are not alone. We are rooting for you. Hi, I'm Amy Golding, Director of Psychology for the Workplace Mental Health Institute. We hope you liked the video. If you did, make sure to give it a thumbs up. We have more and more videos being released each week so when you subscribe you'll get a notification letting you know when a new one's just been published. So make sure to hit that subscribe button and don't miss out on this vital information for yourself, your colleagues and your loved ones.