StigmaFree Workplace
What Does a StigmaFree Workplace Look Like?
A StigmaFree Workplace is an organization with a culture of openness, acceptance, and understanding about employees’ overall mental health and well-being. Read below to learn more about the characteristics of StigmaFree workplaces.
The Business Case
$200 billion is lost in earnings each year in the U.S. through health care usage and decreased work productivity.*
Depression is the leading cause of disability costs around the world.**
What You Can Do
Fortunately, most mental health conditions improve with proper support. Every $1 invested in employee mental health yields a $4 return.***
Working with NAMI as a StigmaFree Workplace, you can create a supportive and healthy workplace that benefits both employees and the company.
Building Blocks for a StigmaFree Workplace
Supporting Employees
Show support to employees by being proactive and understanding if someone needs accommodation.
Management Training
Provide management training about mental health and wellness as it relates to performance and engagement.
Taking Steps to Decrease Stigma
Decrease stigma in the workplace by using non-stigmatizing language and providing resources about mental health.
Create company policies regarding mental health
- Adequate insurance coverage, including available and in-network providers
- Employee Assistance Programs
- Accommodations and/or disability planning for people with mental health conditions
- Policies to support family caregivers
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9969895
** https://www.who.int/health-topics/depression
***Chisholm, D., Sweeny, K., Sheehan, P., Rasmussen, B., Smit, F., Cuijpers, P., & Saxena, S.
(2016). Scaling-up treatment of depression and anxiety: A global return on investment
analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(5), 415–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(16)30024-4