Is Suicide Becoming a Problem in the Workplace?
Prevent One has seen what many other organizations have seen in the last few years. More employees expressing suicidal ideation in the workplace due to various factors highlighted in the provided sources:
1. Mental Health Challenges: The World Health Organization estimates that a significant number of employees suffer from serious mental health problems, with suicide being a major concern, especially among the working-age population.
2. Work-Related Stress: The World Health Organization has also noted that workplace factors such as low job security, job stress, long work hours, and workplace bullying can contribute to an increased risk of suicide among employees.
3. Lack of Support: The Harvard Business Review, in their January 25, 2022 edition, reported that recent research emphasizes the importance of organizations recognizing workplace predictors of suicide, creating inclusive environments, identifying at-risk employees, and providing psychological first aid and support after a colleague's suicide.
4. Stigma and Barriers to Care: In the same article of The Harvard Business Review, the stigma surrounding mental health issues and barriers to accessing mental health services often prevent employees from seeking help when experiencing suicidal thoughts.
5. Impact of Work Environment: In a study published by the National Library of Medicine in August of 2022, while work can be protective against suicide by providing satisfaction and meaning, poorly organized work or unmanaged workplace risks can elevate suicide risk among workers.
These factors collectively contribute to the rise in employees expressing suicidal ideation in the workplace, highlighting the critical need for organizations to prioritize mental health support, create safe and inclusive work environments, and implement effective suicide prevention strategies. But what can be done by those in the workplace who see or hear a coworker talking about self-harm? No one wants to be the cause of someone carrying out their suicidal thoughts, nor does anyone feel they know the right thing to say…or not say!
Let’s make one thing perfectly clear. If a person is expressing self-harm or suicidal thoughts, you are not going to be the person who causes them to feel suicidal…they already feel that way! So, your role is actually pretty simple to start with:
Express empathy and concern and a willingness to LISTEN! That’s a keyword often lost in today’s communication efforts between folks. The key to success is not what you say; it’s how you say it. You want to listen without judgment and without saying something like, “Oh, you don’t want to do that?” or even worse, “Oh, but that’s a mortal sin, and you could be damned to hell for doing that.”
Someone expressing suicide is feeling hurt! Have you ever been hurt emotionally – a break-up or someone close to you died? It hurts more than anything else; sometimes, you don’t know how to communicate that feeling. It ain’t something you deal with every day (I hope), so you are not an expert. Hence, don’t try to be an “expert” with the suicidal person. They don’t know how to say, “I’m hurting, and all I want to do is stop this hurt.” So, your job - whatever you can to show support and hopefully guide them to other supportive persons or organizations dealing with this issue…which is step #3
Provide Resources and Support: Employers should offer information sessions on mental health and suicide prevention, ensure all staff know available support resources, and foster a work environment where colleagues feel comfortable discussing issues affecting their well-being. However, even when working in the law enforcement field, I found that I had better luck spending a few moments following up on these “contacts” to ensure I not only found them do what they were alleged to do but that I had the right names and phone numbers. I advise all readers to do the same – it will be appreciated by the person you are helping (and it helps you ensure they get proper assistance.)
Identify Risk Factors: To focus on what the organization must do for total success, supporting and recognizing the problem is the only way to ensure its belief among all organization members. Hence, make sure your company recognizes the workplace factors previously discussed that can contribute to an increased risk of suicide.
Training and Awareness: Lastly, educating leaders and managers on workplace predictors of suicide, creating a respectful and inclusive work environment, identifying at-risk employees, and having a plan of action in place to support employees in crisis or after a suicide occurs. If there’s one thing I know about that seems logical and important for so many reasons yet seems to have the largest push-back, it’s training. Contact those who do it and offer great classes to see if they have some suggestions.
By implementing these strategies effectively, workplaces can create a supportive environment that prioritizes mental health, reduces stigma around suicide prevention, and ensures the well-being of all employees.
