Work and mental health: has the problem grown or have our solutions become outdated?

Mental health has taken centre stage in workplace conversations in recent years. More and more, occupational health visits focus on stress, anxiety, and the struggle to cope. At the same time, sick leave owing to mental health issues has risen sharply. But are we truly facing a mental health crisis—or is it time to reconsider how we approach these challenges?

A changing work environment challenges wellbeing

Working life is in constant flux. Digitalisation, rising job demands, and frequent interruptions are putting employees under more pressure than ever before. On top of that, the surrounding uncertainty continues to grow. Together, these factors can contribute to chronic stress, burnout, and a decline in overall work capacity.

In the early stages, signs of burnout often appear subtly—like irritability after work or a growing sense of cynicism. Yet few recognise these as warning signals, and even fewer feel at ease seeking support. Worries about how a diagnosis might impact one’s career, or the slow process of accessing support, can cause people to postpone getting the support they need. By the time support is finally sought during a crisis, the options for resolution are often far more limited.

The stigma surrounding mental health difficulties still remains. Although openness has increased, many people still find it difficult to seek support. Occupational health services are often seen as part of the employer’s system, which can create uncertainty about reaching out for help. Are my details accessible to my employer? Will this affect my career opportunities? These kinds of questions can prevent people from seeking support early—precisely when it is most needed.

Is it time to change our approach?

In traditional healthcare, issues can easily become medicalised. But could the solution lie in earlier intervention with a different approach? Not all mental challenges require medication or long-term therapy. Often, what’s needed are tools for stress management, job planning, and early support for everyday challenges.

Preventive services and strengthening resilience

We can address the psychological stressors of working life by offering employees low-threshold, preventive services that support coping even before problems accumulate. Quick and easily accessible conversational support helps employees manage stress without fear of stigma. When support is available at the right time, mental health challenges can be addressed early—before they escalate.

Short-term therapeutic and coaching services offer concrete tools for balancing everyday life and managing workload. With these, employees can learn effective ways to handle stress and difficult situations at work. Even brief interventions can have long-term effects. At the same time, changes at the organisational level—such as more flexible work arrangements and proactive workload planning—can reduce chronic stress and improve overall workplace wellbeing. When workplaces invest in preventive measures, it’s not only individual wellbeing that improves—organisational productivity also grows.

The right tools at the right time

The increase in mental health issues doesn’t necessarily mean the problem has grown disproportionately, as some of the rise may be due to better recognition and reduced stigma. At the same time, we must ask: do our current solutions still meet the needs of today’s working life?

By shifting from a reactive to a proactive approach, we can reduce sick leave, improve employee wellbeing, and support a more sustainable work life. It’s not just about benefiting employees—employers and society as a whole stand to gain.

Wellbeing doesn’t happen by accident, so now is the time to update our tools to meet the demands of modern working life.