When you think about the factors that can affect your organization’s day-to-day operations, does mental health come to mind? As an invisible hazard, it’s easy for the subject to fall off of the radar, particularly should more immediate, visible hazards arise. However, with many workplaces now beginning to recover from a tumultuous few years, the need for employers to prioritize employee mental health has never been higher.

In a recent international survey of risk professionals, mental health was identified as the second-most cited reason for decreased employee productivity, the first time in six years that it ranked in the top three. The issue is not going away any time soon; the trend is expected to continue through 2023. In fact, aside from COVID-19-related issues, mental health is expected to be the most significant operational challenge to organizations this year. [i]

Mental health in the workplace has become such an integral part of organizational success that, in 2021, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released a new standard pertaining to psychological welfare in the workplace. The standard, ISO 45003, recognizes that different factors in the workplace can pose a risk to employees’ psychosocial wellbeing and constitute an occupational health and safety issue. One such factor is emergencies, including those external to an organization that can cause psychological distress (e.g., natural disasters, incidents in a community, assaults or threats made by a client) and those internal to an organization that may arise as a result of psychological distress (e.g., worker-on-worker violence). [ii]

Emergencies and Workplace Psychological Wellbeing

When a disaster or emergency begins to unfold and organizations concentrate on enacting their emergency action plans (EAP), it is not unusual for employees to experience psychological distress. Exposure to a traumatic event can induce a variety of reactions, such as anxiety and acute stress; individuals may also develop physical symptoms, including fatigue and headaches. For many, the effects are short-term and will subside naturally or with the aid of minimal mental health support. [iii, iv] the American Red Cross offers a mental health first aid course that is targeted to the stresses associated with COVID, but is also applicable for disasters and other emergencies.f

However, researchers note that an interplay between multiple factors increases the likelihood that some individuals may continue to grapple with disaster-related mental health effects long after the emergency has subsided. First, the nature of the emergency and the extent to which a person is exposed to it may increase their risk of prolonged psychological distress. Some types of events may induce greater psychological distress, such as those that are human-caused or novel to a population. Direct exposure to particularly traumatic experiences, like witnessing the loss of life, also increases the likelihood of experiencing poor mental health in the long term. Individuals with repeated exposure to traumatic events during a disaster experience an increased risk, a factor particularly relevant to those who work as first responders or assist with recovery efforts. [iii, iv]

Losing one’s home or struggling to acquire basic necessities in the aftermath of a disaster or emergency are common sources of stress in affected communities. However, disruptions to the

larger community can also compound the psychological effects of a disaster. For example, the interruption of telephone or internet services can sever the lines of communication that help support social connectedness, thereby leading to feelings of social isolation. Furthermore, damage to infrastructure may severely reduce or eliminate the availability of mental health and other health care services. Even without catastrophic damage to a community’s health infrastructure, behavioral health services may be unable to meet increased post-disaster demand for care. As a result, individuals who could have otherwise recovered from psychological distress with behavioral health support may be at an increased risk of developing mental disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or major depressive disorder. [iii, iv]

As an employer, it may be difficult for you to recognize the employees that are coping with either short-term or long-term mental health challenges. Typically, people choose to keep such matters private, particularly due to fears of stigmatization or discrimination. It is also not a given that poor mental health will result in recognizable warning signs in the workplace. However, research indicates that poor psychological wellness is associated with a variety of outcomes that can impact employees’ success in the workplace.

The American Psychological Association’s (APA) 2021 Work and Well-Being Survey found that stress is a major contributing factor to poor work performance. More than half of the respondents (59%) indicated that stress had interfered with their ability to carry out their job responsibilities, with one-quarter stating that it reduced their interest and motivation in their work. Moreover, individuals who felt stressed during the workday were more than three times as likely to consider leaving their job compared to those who did not feel stressed. [v] Other research indicates that psychological distress and mental health disorders are associated with [an increase in] occupational safety hazards due to human error and increased absenteeism, which can negatively impact employee morale and cost employers billions of dollars each year. [vi, vii]

Building a Mental Health-Friendly Workplace Culture

According to almost nine in 10 workers, there are things employers can do to improve employees’ mental wellbeing. [v] However, before deciding on which steps your organization will take, it is important to first understand which actions cannot be taken.

Federal law protects employees with mental health conditions from discrimination and harassment. Unless there is objective evidence that an employee’s mental health interferes with their ability to perform their job, it is illegal to fire them, refuse to promote them, or force them to take a leave of absence. There are also limited circumstances in which an employer is entitled to ask employees questions about their mental health. [viii] If your managerial staff is unfamiliar with the rules and regulations pertaining to employees’ rights, have them consult your Human Resources (HR) department. If your organization does not have an HR department, consult with a local HR or law firm.

Nonetheless, managers can create a mental health-friendly workplace without pressuring employees to disclose sensitive information; it is even possible to do so without incurring additional operational costs. Indeed, approximately one-third of respondents to the APA’s recent survey said that their mental health could benefit from their employer encouraging them to take care of their health, take paid time off and integrate breaks into the workday. [v] If your employees are concerned about workplace violence or reprisals for reporting concerns, it may also be beneficial to clarify how your organization will protect confidentiality including whistleblowers, witnesses and victims.

Such suggestions point to the power of workplace culture. Changing the culture of your organization can be as simple as sending an all-staff email or devoting an agenda item to the topic of mental health and reviewing the options available to your employees that may support their psychological health. Even if your organization’s leaders are unsure of how best to address the issue or respond to a concern, offering to follow-up with an answer (and following through on it) will signal that employees’ wellbeing is taken seriously. When these actions are consistent, leaders demonstrate that mental health is not a fleeting concern of the workplace but a genuine priority.

In the meantime, consider how you need to customize your organization’s EAP to support your employees’ psychological wellbeing after a disaster. Your plan may need to be tailored to clarify procedures related to a variety of emergencies, both external and internal, that your organization is likely to encounter. Your organization’s EAP can also provide employees with a list of important telephone numbers and email addresses. These can be specific to your organization, such as the information for key managers or departments, or pertain to services that may help your employees. One example is the Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990), a free hotline that operates 24/7, 365 days a year to provide crisis counseling to individuals experiencing emotional distress.

As a Ready Rating Member Organization, you understand the importance of preparing for the worst. By incorporating not only physical hazards but also invisible risks like mental health into your preparation plans, you can help your staff be resilient against a multitude of challenges.

[i] International SOS. Risk Outlook 2022. https://2022.risk-outlook.com

[ii] International Organization for Standardization. ISO 45003:2021. https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:45003:ed-1:v1:en

[iii] Emily Goldmann and Sandro Galea. Mental Health Consequences of Disasters. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182435#_i3

[iv] Committee on Post-Disaster Recovery of a Community’s Public Health, Medical and Social Services. Healthy, Resilient and Sustainable Communities After Disasters: Strategies, Opportunities and Planning for Recovery. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK316541/

[v] American Psychological Association. APA’s 2021 Work and Well-being Survey results. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/work-well-being/compounding-pressure-2021

[vi] T. Rajgopal. Mental Well-Being At The Workplace. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3062016/

[vii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Workplace Health Promotion: Depression. https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/health-strategies/depression/index.html

[viii] U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Depression, PTSD, & Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: Your Legal Rights. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/depression-ptsd-other-mental-health-conditions-workplace-your-legal-rights