With an envisioned 12 billion workdays misplaced yearly because of despair and anxiety, costing the worldwide economic system nearly $1 trillion, greater movement is wanted to address intellectual fitness problems at work, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) stated on Wednesday.

Performance and productivity affected “It's time to focus on the detrimental effect work can have on our mental health,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General at WHO, which has issued global guidelines on the issue. “The well-being of the individual is reason enough to act, but poor mental health can also have a debilitating impact on a person's performance and productivity.” The WHO guidelines contain actions to tackle risks to mental health at work such as heavy workloads, negative behaviours, and other factors that can create distress. For the first time, the UN health agency recommends manager training, to build their capacity to prevent stressful work environments and respond to workers' needs. A workplace tabooWHO's World Mental Health Report, published in June, revealed that of one billion people estimated to be living with a mental disorder in 2019, 15 per cent of working-age adults experienced a mental disorder. The workplace amplifies wider societal issues that negatively affect mental health, including discrimination and inequality, the agency said.  Bullying and psychological violence, also known as “bullying,” is one of the leading complaints of workplace harassment that negatively impacts mental health. However, discussing or disclosing mental health is still taboo in workplace environments around the world. The guidelines also recommend better ways to meet the needs of workers with mental illness and suggest interventions to support their return to work. increase the odds. They also outline measures to facilitate the entry of workers with severe mental illness into the labor market. Importantly, the guidelines call for interventions to protect medical, humanitarian and emergency response workers.  A separate policy brief with the ILO outlines WHO's guidance in terms of practical strategies for governments, employers, workers and their organizations in both the public and private sectors. Its purpose is to prevent mental health risks, protect and promote mental health in the workplace, and support the participation and success of people with mental illness in the workplace. “People spend so much of their lives at work that a safe and healthy working environment is essential,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder. “We are committed to building a culture of  mental health prevention in the workplace, redesigning work environments to eliminate stigma and social exclusion, so that employees with mental illness feel protected and supported. We have to invest to do it.” ILO Conventions and related Recommendations on Safety and Health at Work