Before Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close, we want to mention that Doug Parker, who heads the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), recently posted a blog in which he says it’s time to recognize “mental health hazards as occupational hazards” and the value of a “broader approach that includes both traditional occupational safety and health and paying attention to the huge impact of mental health on workers’ well-being.”

At WorkCare, we understand that well-being encompasses all aspects of physical and mental health, and that a holistic approach helps companies by giving their employees the resources they need to be productive, have a purpose and enjoy good quality of life.

As part of our commitment to protecting and promoting employee health, WorkCare acquired Wellness Solutions. We are integrating Wellness Solutions with other WorkCare service lines and developing comprehensive wellness programs that will be offered to employers to enhance occupational health offerings for their employees.

Our Wellness Solutions Director Lynette Helmer and Industrial Athlete Program Director Bryan Reich will share findings from holistic delivery models at the annual American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Expo tomorrow, May 23, 2023, during their presentation on Medical Surveillance, Fitness, Ergonomics and Wellness for workers in physically demanding jobs. They will be talking about how multi-disciplinary teams can collaborate to break down silos and create cross-functional pathways in areas including:

• Physical fitness
• Behavioral health
• Medical surveillance (health risks)
• Employee education and training
• Ergonomics
• Injury prevention and management
• Rapid response (24/7 triage)

Post-COVID Tips

In his blog post, Parker notes that stress and the COVID-19 pandemic have taken a toll on mental health, with many Americans reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression. Helmer and Reich offer these 10 tips for employers to help counter-act these impacts:

1. Foster collaboration by getting to know colleagues you haven’t met.
2. Include employee groups/labor representatives in discussions.
3. Engage leadership in shared initiatives (walk the talk).
4. Focus on strategies that support both business and health/safety objectives.
5. Develop and communicate a unified vision.
6. Discourage competitive attitudes.
7. Encourage transparency and sharing of resources.
8. Develop metrics that reflect desired outcomes.
9. Audit, track and report on progress.
10. Take corrective actions, as needed, and celebrate successes.

“Every worker should feel confident that their employer values their physical safety and health, which means employers need to proactively create safety and health management programs that include input from workers to ensure all workers are trained to do their jobs safely,” Parker writes. “Workers deserve the peace of mind knowing that every precaution has been taken to ensure they go home to their families and friends at the end of their shift.”

WorkCare’s occupational health professionals are passionate about employee well-being. Contact us at info@workcare.com to learn more about our solutions.