Mental Health and Psychological Disability
Violence and harassment are unfortunately present realities in the workplace. They have major consequences on the mental and even physical health of your employees. As a result, their impact also affects your organization, including financially.
What can be the direct effects of workplace violence and harassment on an employee?
Consider phenomena such as high stress, psychological distress, and suicidal thoughts. Indeed, such cases often lead to significant negative impacts like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders. There are also collateral consequences, including excessive alcohol and drug use.
On the employer's side, what are the consequences of an employee facing these types of issues?
This includes reduced productivity, prolonged absenteeism, and unproductive presenteeism. It’s worth noting that absenteeism related to psychological disabilities is more costly for employers, especially since these absences are twice as long as those caused by physical injury.
According to the latest data on this subject, a leave due to psychological disability lasts an average of 245 days, compared to 124 days for a physical disability. The direct financial impact is thus significant. The Commission for Standards, Equity, Health, and Safety at Work (CNESST) estimates that the average absence for a psychological injury is 288 days, compared to 119 days for a physical injury.
Employers must therefore pay attention to the mental health issues of employees, even though they are less visible than physical problems.
This is especially true as this issue will grow over the years. Mental health currently accounts for 30 to 40% of employer health-related costs in the workplace. According to the Deloitte Insights report, Mental Health Programs in the Workplace: Added Value for Employees and Employers, this portion will rise to 70% by 2041.
Is prevention the key to success?
It is indeed important to prevent relapses and reduce costs through proactive measures. If an employee is absent for more than six months, their chances of returning to work are only 20%. Even worse, if their absence exceeds one year, the likelihood of them returning to work is nearly nonexistent.
That being said, absences are not the only issue. According to the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec, the costs associated with presenteeism are almost twice as high as those related to absenteeism. Again, the effects are more intangible, but an employee who is present at work but makes frequent mistakes, is unproductive, or becomes disengaged from their job will quickly become costly for their employer.
Prevention is therefore necessary. The results can even be quantified because, according to the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec, preventing a single case of mental health issues can help an employer reduce absenteeism costs by $18,000 per person.
What is the role of Lussier's specialists in assisting an employer who wants to better manage their workplace violence and harassment issues?
Our experts intervene both before and after an event. We can assist in implementing preventive measures or developing a prevention policy. If a violence or harassment incident has already occurred, the employer should contact us to be supported in managing potential disability claims. We also help employers in situations where, for example, an employee wishes to sue a colleague to whom they attribute a troubling situation.
In summary, whether in a proactive approach or in response to an incident, any serious and conscientious employer should increase their chances of success by contacting us. This way, they can focus on their core mission while we handle their mental health and psychological disability cases.
