TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A study has revealed that workplaces neglecting employees' mental health can triple the risk of depression among full-time workers, according to a report cited by the Central News Agency (CNA, 中央社) on Monday (Jan. 13). Researchers from the University of South Australia (南澳大學) and the Psychosocial Safety Climate Observatory (心理社會安全氣候觀測平台) led the study, which was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in June 2021.
The study examined 1,084 full-time Australians, covering diverse occupations and industries, with 61% male participants averaging 47 years old. It found that long working hours and poorly managed workplace environments increase the risk of depression, particularly among men, whose mental health often goes unnoticed.
CNA cited another paper in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, highlighting low psychosocial safety climates as significant predictors of workplace bullying and emotional exhaustion. Common bullying behaviors include teasing, verbal intimidation, yelling, belittling, and isolation, negatively affecting both victims and witnesses.
CNA reported that Tsu Juia-hsin (杜家興), a clinical psychologist at the Jianan Psychiatric Center (嘉南療養院), emphasized that male mental health in the workplace is frequently overlooked. He advised supervisors to listen to employees' concerns with respect and empathy. Yeh Ya-hsing (葉雅馨), director of the John Tung Foundation's (董氏基金會) Mental Health Center, noted that workplace bullying often stems from hierarchical relationships and urged companies to prioritize employees' mental well-being.