World Health Organization releases workplace mental health guidelines

The WHO also highlights the importance of taking action to promote mental health at work in its Guidelines on Mental Health at Work and accompanying Policy Brief, which was co-developed with the International Labour Organization.  

The global guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations to improve mental health at work by supporting those who live with, or without, a mental health condition to participate and thrive at work.   

The WHO guidelines also highlight the importance of supporting workers living with mental health conditions to participate and thrive in work and creating an “enabling environment” for change. 

Action to address mental health at work should be done with the meaningful involvement of workers and their representatives, and people with lived experience of mental health conditions, according to WHO.  

The guidelines note that an estimated 12 billion working days are lost globally every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.