The following is shared from the Centers for Disease Control:
The workplace as a risk factor for suicide
The effects of work on suicide are complex. Work can be protective against suicide as a source of personal satisfaction and meaning, interpersonal contacts, and financial security. However, when work is poorly organized or when workplace risks are not managed, work can raise suicide risk in some workers.
Workplace suicide risk factors
There are many different factors that have been shown to adversely affect mental health, and directly or indirectly impact suicidal thoughts, behaviors, and death. Many of these workplace factors interact with non-workplace factors to further increase suicide risk.
Workplace factors that can contribute to an increased risk of suicide include:
- Low job security, low pay, and job stress
- Access to lethal means–the ability to obtain things like medications and firearms
- Work organization factors such as long work hours, shift work
- Workplace bullying
In addition, some occupations have been found to have higher suicide rates than others.
Workers in occupations with a higher risk of suicide may include:
The workplace as an education, prevention, & intervention site
Workplaces are an important setting for suicide prevention efforts. Workers spend a significant amount of time at work and co-workers and supervisors often notice important changes in thoughts or behaviors that may be signals for increased suicide risk. Additionally, most people who die by suicide are of working age (16-64). Many workplaces are engaged with improving worker mental health and well-being but are still reticent to consider and include suicide prevention in their programming. Since many workplaces already have structures and resources in place to help employees access various types of assistance—adding suicide prevention is a logical next step.
However, suicide prevention in the workplace is not one size fits all. What works and what is needed for one occupation or industry may not be applicable to another. Some general strategies that positively impact workplaces include:
- limiting access to lethal means,
- providing peer support,
- increasing access to mental health services, and
- reducing stigma to encourage easier access to quality care.