How to promote men’s mental health in the workplace

How to promote men’s mental health in the workplace


Specialist indicates a number of reasons why companies invest in initiatives aimed at the mental health of the male public




According to the survey called “10 answers on men’s health”, carried out by the Instituto Lado in Lado pela Vida, 62% of men in Brazil seek medical assistance only when the symptoms are no longer bearable. This is a worrying scenario and one that it also extends to men’s mental health care.

Survey data conducted by SulAmérica and the FSB Research Institute show that women are more interested in mental health than men. Based on the sample, mental health is the top concern for 31% of women, while this percentage reaches only 20% of men.

The situation is worse in the corporate universe

In the corporate environment this can become even greater. Therefore, companies should also invest in initiatives to encourage self-care specifically targeting this audience.

“There are many taboos surrounding men’s thoughts when it comes to mental health, many of which are related to cultural issues. There is a lot of talk about male vulnerability, but the talk that men should not show their weaknesses and feelings and that they are naturally strong and resilient is still very frequent”, underlines Tatiana Pimenta, CEO of Victimshealthtech of reference in the development of mental health programs for companies.

“I see this stigma breaking down with the younger generation, but we still need to do more work on male awareness as it relates to self-care and overall health.”

The cultural issue makes it difficult to seek help

According to the specialist, when we look at the impact of this data on business and organizational environments, it can be seen that there is an ingrained problem in corporate structures that makes it difficult to promote internal cultures for the benefit of employee mental health in general.

The specialist listed the main reasons that can be used as warnings for companies to invest in men’s mental health:

1. Men hold the majority of leadership positions

Currently, men hold 62% of leadership positions in Brazil (Grant Thornton – 2022), which accounts for more than half of current leadership positions.

“We know that the working environment is a trigger for the development of various mental illnesses and disorders such as anxiety, depression and burnout itself. When we see data showing that the majority of Brazilian leaders are people who are not very committed to their mental health, it is hard to imagine how these leaders can build a healthy, light and welcoming environment for their teams,” he adds. Tatiana.

2. Men live 7.2 years less than women

According to the Men’s Health Reference Center of São Paulo, 70% of men seek a doctor’s office only when influenced by people close to them. This is reflected in data showing that men live, on average, fewer years than women.

3. The suicide rate among men is 3 times higher

The WHO has pointed out that the suicide rate among men is three times higher than that of women.

“This data is alarming, it shows that even with so many incentives and actions in favor of mental health, this appeal does not significantly affect men. Result of the culture where it is said that men must be strong, cannot show weaknesses and the encouragement of toxic masculinity are some of the factors responsible for triggering this detachment for health and well-being,” comments the CEO of Vittude.

Companies must take responsibility

To combat all these problems that concern both the personal and professional spheres of these men, companies must also have a sense of responsibility for this problem.

In addition to investing in awareness of the importance of male self-care and, in particular, corporate representatives and leaders, it is important to provide access to mental health programs and encourage them to use them.

Remembering, of course, to maintain the importance of encouraging female mental health as well and in no way downplaying it due to the need for male awareness. Ultimately, the assistance provided by leaders and managers sets an example for teams and can foster more welcoming environments.

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Source: Terra

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