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Supporting mental health in the workplace

JD

By  Joanna Duffett

9 min read

| Updated ; first published .
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Executive summary

Mental health is a workplace issue. It is a fundamental part of overall wellness as much as any physiological component, and it affects how employees think, feel, and interact with others and the world — including in the workplace.1 In addition to stressing employees, mental health issues can cause significant workplace disruption:

  • It’s estimated that depression and anxiety are responsible for 12 billion lost workdays worldwide each year — a cost of almost US$1 trillion.2
  • In the UK, it’s estimated that 15% of workers have a mental health condition, and work-related stress, anxiety, or depression resulted in an estimated 17.1 million lost workdays.3
  • In Canada, mental illness is responsible for an estimated $6.3 billion CAD loss in productivity each year4 and almost a third of disability claims are tied to mental illness.5

How to cite: Duffett, J. (2025). Supporting mental health in the workplace (2nd edition). Catalyst. 2021.

© Catalyst Inc. 2021, updated 2025

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