Overall, 39 percent of employees report experiencing symptoms such as nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, depression, or low mood within the past month. At the same time, 19 percent report that their mental health problems are related to their work.
These findings are based on data from STAMI’s Fact Book on Working Environment and Health 2024.
Emotional demands in the workplace
Sectors such as health and social care, education, and hospitality and service industries show the highest levels of reported work-related mental strain. These are large and growing parts of the labour market.
Work in these sectors often involves close contact with clients, patients, pupils, users, or customers. While this work can be meaningful and rewarding, research also shows that such emotionally demanding interactions can be mentally challenging.
Having to regulate or suppress one’s own emotions in response to others’ problems, grief, or frustration can be emotionally draining. Research indicates that such demands are associated with fatigue, psychological distress, and sickness absence.
Negative social experiences at work
The data also show that negative social experiences in the workplace, such as bullying, violence, threats, and unwanted sexual attention, are important risk factors.
These challenges are particularly prevalent in female-dominated occupations and sectors.
Most reported incidents of threats and violence come from people outside the organisation, such as clients, customers, patients, pupils, or users.
According to STAMI, these challenges contribute to a significantly higher risk of mental health problems in certain sectors compared to others.
Prevention is possible
Mental health problems are complex and influenced by many factors. While individual factors are difficult for workplaces to change, working environment factors can account for a substantial share of mental health issues. Research shows that it is possible to prevent work-related mental strain by creating a healthy working environment.
Listed here are six key recommendations for a good working environment:
- Promoting social support and supportive, fair leadership
- Balancing job demands with autonomy and control
- Ensuring a good work–life balance
- Providing predictability and involvement during organisational change
- Building a culture of trust, safety, and recognition of employee resources
- Ensuring fair balance between effort and reward, including feedback and recognition
While not all measures are relevant in every workplace, strengthening known protective factors in the working environment can help prevent mental health problems.