World Mental Health Day 2024: Theme, Key Messages and Facts by WHO

World Mental Health Day is marked on 10 October every year and has a theme for the year 2024 which is "It's Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace." The theme makes acute sense for businesses to promote psychosocial working environments, as the pressures of a stressful, anxious, and depressed workplace grow increasingly exasperating amid the mounting demands from employers against employees.

Key Messages for 2024

• Importance of Mental Health: Mental health is an integral part of general well-being and must be advocated for in every professional domain.
• Universal Human Rights: Everyone has the right to mental health assistance across geographical and cultural contexts.
• The Well-Being of the Youth: Mental health disorders seriously affect young people and require intensive efforts.
• Community Services: It becomes an obligatory duty to have easily accessible mental health services for positive community well-being.
• Fighting Stigma: Needs to address the stigma so commonly involved with mental health issues for a harmoniously inclusive society.

Facts and Context

According to WHO's prediction, almost 1 in 4 people in the world will face some mental health condition at some point in their lives; therefore, the challenge indeed cuts across people very broadly. In India, about 60 to 70 million people are suffering from common mental disorders that are worsened and even caused by stigma and lack of care. The economic costs of not treating mental health in the workplace are enormous, with depression and anxiety costing the global economy an estimated $1 trillion in lost productivity per year.

Sanchita Tuli, Director of HR at Great Lakes Institute of Management, added that  " World Mental Health Day serves as a powerful reminder that mental well-being is an essential part of our lives, just as critical as physical health. This year’s theme, Mental Health at Work, is particularly timely as workplaces increasingly become central to the conversation around mental health. Senior professionals and CXOs are scrutinizing potential employers more closely than ever, turning down lucrative offers when they detect red flags such as toxic, command-and-control structures, lack of autonomy, and poor work-life balance. This shift highlights the rising awareness of mental health issues and the importance of workplace well-being."

Importance of World Mental Health Day

This observance forms an important platform for garnering attention on mental health issues and organizing efforts to improve the care for such matters across the world. Common events organized are education seminars, screening for mental health problems, and campaigns to reduce stigma and openly discuss mental health.

In 2024, the initiative will focus on workplace mental health, engaging employers, employees, and stakeholders in creating supportive environments with mental wellness being a core component of organizational culture.

"The modern workplace can play a significant role in shaping employees' mental well-being by fostering open conversations about mental health, training leaders to recognize signs of distress, promoting peer support, and offering employee assistance programs. A supportive environment like this can boost engagement and creativity, along with enhancing innovation and resilience among employees," said Dr. Jones Mathew, Principal, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon 

Addressing mental health in the workplace is no longer an option but a necessity. The 2024 theme emphasizes the importance of creating environments that support employee well-being, reduce stigma, and encourage open conversations. Prioritizing mental health enhances productivity, and employee satisfaction, and contributes to overall organizational success.

Vishal Khurma, CEO, Woxsen University, states that “Any organization's ability to succeed and function successfully depends on its employee's mental health. It is important to emphasize employee autonomy—because when individuals have the freedom to shape their work, they feel more valued and engaged. A sense of autonomy, combined with an environment where conversations around mental health are always encouraged, fosters a culture of trust and openness." 

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