Workplace mental health: developing an integrated intervention approach

(LaMontagne et al., 2014)

https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-244X-14-131

Mental health problems are prevalent and costly in working populations, with gifted adults, as well. The authors of this article argue that medicine, public health, and psychology need to be integrated to optimise the prevention of mental health problems in working populations.

To realise the greatest population mental health benefits they suggest that workplace mental health intervention needs to comprehensively 1) protect mental health by reducing work-related risk factors for mental health problems; 2) promote mental health by developing the positive aspects of work as well as worker strengths and positive capacities; and 3) address mental health problems among working people regardless of cause.

An integrated approach to workplace mental health can expect near-term improvements in mental health literacy, to be followed by longer-term improvements in working conditions and job quality -given adequate organizational commitment, support, and time to achieve organizational change. These changes should, in turn, lead to improvements in mental health and wellbeing

Developing an integrated approach could also be framed as moving towards a comprehensive notion of workplace mental health literacy as involving the knowledge, beliefs, and skills that aid in the prevention of mental illness in the workplace, and the recognition, treatment, rehabilitation, and return to work of working people affected by mental illness.