Mental Health in the Workplace

1.5 Credits · Level: Graduate

Using the latest research and review of health trends, this course was created to give anyone in business a broad understanding of the leading issues surrounding mental health issues in the workplace and give them the tools and frameworks to help promote and protect their most valuable asset: human capital. This short course will be divided into three sections outlined below. It will review the state of the problem and the challenges that face business, including the impact the recent pandemic had on the workplace. You will learn how to make sense of key epidemiologic and public health data to identify current and future trends. A brief overview of significant mental health workplace issues that impact the bottom line and an understanding of cost benefit and cost effectiveness analysis of mental health services, including the latest concerns from the perspectives of the EAP, HR and upper management will be explored. Through case studies and real-world examples, we will discuss common individual occupational concerns, including executive development, job loss, and office politics. The course will expose students to novel research on the qualities of winning and losing work environments and how leadership can create and promote a positive culture and enhance productivity. The course will also review how best to motivate people based on their personality style and how to navigate relationships with senior management centered on a multitude of leadership styles. The final segment of the course will address specific mental health problems that impact all of us, our families, and co-workers – such as anxiety/stress, depression, burnout, personality issues and substance use – and by the end of the course you will be better able to understand and immediately address these problems from four unique perspectives.