The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
Mental Health in the Workplace
Mental Health in the Workplace
Investing in mental health and safety is critical to build strong workplaces, a strong workforce and strong communities.
Employees and employers across the state are encouraged to review these resources and build on mental health strategies that will have a positive impact on employee wellbeing, the employer’s bottom line and our communities.
Strategies to Improve Mental Health in the Workplace
To further efforts to support mental health and wellbeing for more Michiganders, Governor Gretchen Whitmer tasked LEO with establishing a dedicated workgroup to focus on mental health, trauma and resiliency in the workplace. The workgroup released their findings and key strategies for employers to help build supportive workplaces by integrating employee mental health strategies that establish healthier workplaces, enhance employee wellbeing and promote resilient companies.
In addition, the Surgeon General has released their Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being, providing a foundation for workplaces to build upon. View the U.S. Surgeon General Report
Work itself is identified as a primary source of stress for individuals. 65% of U.S. employees surveyed identified their job as the No. 1 stress in their lives.
Employees who are feeling emotionally drained from work are at a higher risk of workplace stress, leading to burnout and other mental health concerns.
Research suggests that stress alone costs American companies over $300 billion in health care costs, absenteeism and poor performance. Further, roughly 40% of turnover is due to job stress.
Construction Suicide Prevention
The construction industry has one of the highest rates of suicides among all occupations — four times higher than the general population. In Michigan, the construction and extraction occupation suicide rate was 75.4 per 100,000 people in 2019 according to MDHHS. Each year in Sept., OSHA dedicates a week to raising awareness about the challenges workers face in the construction industry that may lead to suicide or other mental health issues and methods to prevent it.
Construction Suicide Prevention Resources
Good News
Employees who strongly agree that their employer cares about their overall wellbeing, including mental health, are:
- 69% less likely to search for a new job
- 71% less likely to report experiencing a lot of burnout
- 5x more likely to advocate for their employer as a place to work
- 3x more likely to be engaged at work
- 36% more likely to be thriving in their lives.
Events
Mental Health Webinar 1-19-23 (Video Recording)
Build Your Strategy: Partner & National Resources
Michigan Resources
Prioritizing Mental Wellness in The Workplace (video)
National Resources
Workplace Stress (US Department of Labor)
Mental Health in the Workplace (CDC)
The Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences
Trauma and Resilience at Work (Corporation for a Skilled Workforce)
Ted Talk: Workplace Mental Health – all you need to know
The Economic Cost of Poor Employee Mental Health (Gallup)
It’s a New Era for Mental Health at Work (Harvard Business Review)