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White
Paper on the Mental Health of Industrial Workers (2002)
(August 23, 2002)
Mental Health Research Institute |
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| This
white paper analyzes the findings of an investigation of companies
engaged in mental health activities and the data of the Japan
Mental Health Inventory (JMI), a healthcare survey conducted
by the Mental Health Research Institute. The outline of the
white paper is as follows. |
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| I.
Actual status of “mental illnesses” in Japanese
companies |
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|
| (1) |
About half the
companies surveyed responded that the incidence of “mental
illnesses” in their companies had been increasing over
the past three years. Also, over 80% felt that mental diseases
will hereafter increase in society as a whole. |
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|
| (2) |
72.3% of the companies
cited depression as the most common ailment. The figure was
84.6% for companies with over 3,000 employees. |
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|
| (3) |
58.5% of the companies
had employees who took more than one month off from work due
to a mental illness. |
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|
| (4) |
In companies providing
consultation services, the two most frequently discussed topics
were interpersonal relationships in the workplace (47.8%)
and work-related problems (38.6%). |
| 2.
Approaches toward mental health—thoughts and reality |
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|
| (1) |
Over 40% of the
companies surveyed are “trouble shooting” the issue
but without any clear internal policies. |
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|
| (2) |
The majority of
companies felt that mental illness adversely affects productivity. |
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|
| (3) |
Companies with
the Safety and Health Committee are able to address mental
illness issues more extensively and effectively. |
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|
| (4) |
Most companies
(58.5%) cited the proper assignment of work loads as their
primary measure to enhance the mental health of their employees. |
| 3.
Productivity and mental health are intimately related |
|
|
| (1) |
People who enjoy
increased productivity in their work, workplace, and company
have a healthier body, spirit, personality, and working environment
than those who do not. |
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|
| (2) |
A large percentage
(56.1%) of people responded that the productivity of their work
is improving, but those who answered in the negative had an
extremely low level of health. |
| 4.
Improving “organizational health” |
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|
| (1) |
Productivity serves
as a barometer for mental health. |
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|
| (2) |
Companies should
shift their focus from improving individual health to improving
organizational health. |
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