EMPOWER member José Luis Ayuso Mateos, from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) team, has been an active member of the guideline development group to address mental health at work.
The WHO has published two guidelines addressing this issue for the first time – The World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines on mental health at work and a derivative WHO/ International Labour Organization (ILO) policy brief.
The WHO and the ILO have called for concrete actions to address mental health concerns in the working population. Moreover, the new global WHO guidelines on mental health at work are reinforced by practical strategies outlined in a joint WHO/ILO policy brief.
The World Health Organization Guidelines on Mental Health at Work and the accompanying Policy Brief from the World Health Organization and International Labour Organization have been published on 28 September 2022.
WHO’s first-ever global guidelines on mental health at work provide evidence-based recommendations to improve mental health at work by supporting those who live with, or without, a mental health condition to participate and thrive at work.
With an estimated 60% of the world in work, these guidelines provide much needed recommendations for employers, workers and stakeholders responsible for the health, safety and well-being of working people. Specific recommendations are also included for health, humanitarian and emergency workers.
The accompanying Policy Brief from the World Health Organization and International Labour Organization brings the guideline recommendations to life and calls on stakeholders in the world of work to take practical action to support mental health at work.
Together the ambition is to create a significant change in how mental health is viewed in the work setting, to reduce the stigma associated with mental health conditions and to prevent, protect and promote, and support effective action for mental health at work.