Mental Health, Work Productivity, and the Benefits of Residential Treatment

In recent years, mental health in the workplace has become a hot topic, spurring investigations into the effects of mental health disorder on both employees and employers. According to the Institute of Health and Productivity Management, “mental health conditions are the No.1 health-related reason for lost productivity at work and No. 2 for absenteeism.” As Joseph Rauch writes, “Mental health conditions cost employers more than $100 billion and 217 lost workdays each year.”

While these numbers are staggering, it can be difficult to translate the macro view into your personal life, particularly if you have high-functioning mental illness or throw yourself into work as a coping mechanism for your distress. However, if you are honest with yourself, it is likely that you can identify ways—big or small—that your psychiatric illness interferes with your work productivity, whether it comes in the form of absenteeism or presenteeism. Does your depression interfere with your concentration? Does your anxiety cause procrastination? Does the instability of bipolar disorder keep your productivity in flux as your mood oscillates or make you call out sick in the depths of depression? Are you taking unwise risks?

It is rare to find someone struggling with a mental health disorder who is not negatively affected in terms of work productivity. Even if you are indeed able to retain high function in the near-term, the progressive nature of many mental illnesses means that it is likely you will eventually feel the professional impact of your disorder at some point. When that time comes, your condition may have reached a level of severity that complicates treatment and delays healing. In other words, the cost of not going to treatment isn’t simply counted in work productivity losses, but in the human cost of suffering.

Growing awareness of how mental health disorders impact work productivity is slowly changing the way businesses think about mental distress. “The business case for addressing mental health and wellbeing has been established and is now featuring on many boardroom agendas,” says Poppy Jaman, program director for City Health mental Alliance in London. Meanwhile, Nick Barber, director of KPMG’s consulting team notes:

Over the last few years we have seen that individuals are feeling more confident speaking out on their mental health in the workplace, which in turn encourages others to be open and seek help proactively rather than waiting until their health deteriorates before they request support.

Indeed, many work places have now implemented dedicated mental wellness initiatives and are becoming well-versed in supporting the psychological wellness of their employees. This ultimately benefits employers by optimizing work productivity and minimizing losses caused by mental illness.

Despite this changing culture, top-level employees are often the least likely to tend to their own mental health. You may believe that disclosure of mental health struggles or taking time off for treatment will compromise your position. As Rauch points out, “Employees are afraid of discussing it. They don’t want to lose their jobs, damage relationships, or risk future employers learning of illnesses and judging them. The stigma of mental illness keeps them silent.” This may be especially true if you are shouldering a high level of responsibility or have a high-profile job; you fear that your ability to maintain stability and good judgment may be questioned or that your employer will see you as a liability.

In reality, your value to your employer makes it all the more important for you to seek the help that you need to regain mental health. You are an integral part of your organization and your talents are difficult to replace; ensuring that you are well and able to work up to capacity is likely a top priority for your employer. As such, you may be surprised by the support you experience should you choose to disclose your struggles with mental illness.