Workplace Suicide Prevention for Managers

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When we think of workplace safety, our physical well being is usually what comes to mind first, such as wearing personal protection equipment or requiring safety training before operating heavy machinery. What may not immediately come to mind is the mental well being of employees and the growing risk of suicide in the workplace. Suicide is a topic that is often avoided due to its sensitive nature, but it's calling for more of our attention. We spend a lot of time at work, so it's important for managers to understand how to support their staff's mental well being while in the workplace. When the line between work and home grows thin, we want to support employees however we can. Specific guidelines have been set to determine what makes a suicide workplace related. A workplace related suicide means that it happened while the employee was at work or on company grounds. The employee was performing work-related activities even if they were off premises or the suicide was related to the employees work status or employment. A work status related suicide could be a main wage earner for a family being let go or experiencing a decrease in working hours, leading to an increase in stress. Workplace suicide can affect hourly and salary employees as well as those who are self employed. The US ranks suicide as the second leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. This coincides with the age that people typically enter the workforce and begin their careers. Care should be taken when discussing suicide at work and during suicide prevention training. This includes discussing suicidal attempts. One in every 25 people in America will attempt suicide at some point in their lives and survive. But every eleven minutes a person will attempt suicide with a fatal outcome. The increasing risk of suicide has become a concern for companies all over the world. It can be difficult to gather statistics from many countries due to the illegality or stigma around suicide, but it can be said that more than 450 million people worldwide suffer from mental health, neurological or behavioral issues. 873,000 of those people die from suicide each year, and the numbers are growing. It's important to understand how work is related to suicide. Work can give people a sense of purpose, and workplace relationships can help people feel like they are a part of something. When this is lacking, employees may feel disconnected and unappreciated. By creating a workplace that understands and accepts the impact that work has on one's mental health, suicide rates can decrease. An effective suicide prevention plan reduces the risk of job strain. Job strain is brought on by boredom, a lack of fulfillment, lack of support, or biased management. Lawsuits can be brought to a company for a suicide relating to job strain, such as bullying or unsafe management. A suicide prevention plan shows that efforts were in place to deter suicide. Fatalities that occur at work are a major concern and add to the reasons employers should have an effective suicide prevention plan in place. As many as 40% to 50% of the population have been exposed to suicide in their lifetime. Witnessing suicide can be traumatizing to others in the workplace, and they may find it difficult to return to work for a long time. Certain jobs have higher incidences of suicide. Doctors have the highest incidence of suicide, with a 1.87 times higher rate than any other occupation. Others include dentists, police officers, veterinarians and those in the finance industry. 4% of deaths among doctors are from suicide. The long hours, stress of malpractice, and their knowledge of medication and dosing are some of the major risk factors. The statistics speak for themselves, yet suicide prevention is still difficult to discuss in the workplace. By overcoming the stigma, managers can open up a dialogue with their employees about tough topics and promote a healthier, safer workplace.