Push for Legislation to Mandate Mental Well-Being Practices in the Workplace Gains Momentum
Discussions about the challenge of ensuring workers’ mental health are moving beyond doctors’ offices and human resources departments, while a bill proposes tax incentives for companies that demonstrate investment in mental health programs and the promotion of support and support groups in the workplace. Professor Wagner Farid Gattaz, from the Institute of Psychiatry (IPq) at the Hospital das Clínicas (HC) of the USP School of Medicine (FM), discusses the bill and comments on the importance of primary health care in the workplace.
According to the expert, recent research indicates an alarming prevalence of mental disorders among Brazilian workers and a study carried out with 120 thousand employees from 40 different companies revealed that 11% of them are suffering from severe depression, requiring treatment, while 20% face exhaustion syndrome, also known as burnout.
Companies
According to the professor, mental disorders not only affect workers’ personal lives, but also lead to significant losses in business productivity. He says that the estimated global cost to the economy due to mental illness is US$3.5 trillion, with the majority attributed to lost productivity and time off work related to mental health treatment.
Gattaz points out that people and companies’ perceptions of employees’ mental health have changed over the years. Previously, there was a great deal of stigma and fear in addressing issues related to mental well-being, leading many companies to avoid the topic. However, he explains that the pandemic has raised awareness about the importance of employees’ emotional well-being, leading many companies to offer support programs. “During the pandemic, there was a huge increase in the number of offers seeking to address people’s mental health. And this is a big problem because many of these treatments are not performed by professionals and have no scientific basis,” he says.
Legislation
Among the laws that encourage corporate support for mental health treatment for workers, Gattaz highlights Law No. 14,831 , sanctioned by the President of the Republic on March 27, 2024, which aims to regulate and establish clear guidelines for mental health programs in companies. This legislation, authored by Congresswoman Maria Arraes (Solidariedade – PE), grants a certificate of “company that promotes mental health” to institutions that implement comprehensive programs, which must include information on mental well-being, specialized treatment, training to increase resilience and the development of a work environment that promotes mental health.
“Regulating the law is crucial to ensuring the effectiveness of the programs offered. Part of the process involves training healthcare professionals in companies, who often do not have adequate training to deal with psychiatric issues. With appropriate training, it is possible to treat low-complexity cases internally, reducing the need for external referrals,” says the psychiatrist.
Treatment
Regarding the issue of burnout, the professor explains that, although it is not classified as a disease by the World Health Organization, the disorder is recognized as an occupational phenomenon that can lead to more serious health conditions. It is a state of physical and mental exhaustion associated with the work environment, which can be treated with psychotherapy and, in some cases, medication.
The professor also emphasizes the importance of recognizing mental disorders early, given that data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that 350 million people suffer from depression, with almost half of them unaware of it. He says that a lack of diagnosis can lead to inadequate treatment and the chronicity of conditions, which is why it is important to support proposals for tax incentives for companies that invest in mental health care.
“For example, there is a bill by federal deputy Amom Mandel, from Amazonas, which suggests allowing part of the tax paid by companies to be dedicated to mental health programs. This measure could encourage more companies to adopt mental well-being practices and provide a healthier and more productive work environment, since these institutions will be receiving back part of what was invested,” he analyzes.