Thread by @beck_smith

🚀 It’s launch day for our new @wellcometrust research report alongside our friends at @wef: ‘Putting Science To Work: Understanding What Works for Workplace Mental Health’. Time for a thread! 🧵#WorkplaceMentalHealth wellcome.org/reports/unders…

Businesses invest a lot into mental health initiatives, but, the question is, how much do we really know about what works, for who, in what context and why?

We asked 10 global research teams to review the evidence behind a sample of promising approaches for addressing anxiety and depression in the workplace, with a focus on younger workers.

Here are some tasters of what they found:

1. @KandolaAaron @BrendonStubbs @J_F_Hayes @UCLPsychiatry @KingsIoPPN @exerciseworks found that breaking up excessive sitting with light activity may reduce depression symptoms by approximately 10% and anxiety around 15%

2. @TheEIU @TheEIU_Health found that no studies have directly assessed the impact of buddying on mental health, but buddying may help to address some known risk factors for poor mental health at work

3. @gooddayatwork‘s research highlighted lots of evidence that increasing autonomy is good for mental health, although data suggests that autonomy may be more troubling for those over 25, compared to younger workers

4. @RANDEurope found that participation in workplace financial wellbeing initiatives is associated with better mental health and this association is stronger for younger workers, aged 18 – 24

5. @USocialWork @philip_osteen‘s findings highlight that flexible working benefits mental health by reducing conflict between work and home lives. But uptake is strongly influenced by the amount of support from supervisors

6. @UCDHealthSystem @ucdsnmhs @UCD_Research @brynne_gilmore @TCDCGH @BritishRedCross found that group psychological first aid may be a practical and scalable approach in humanitarian contexts, but more research is needed about its effectiveness, particularly for younger workers

7. @NAMINYCMetro @mh_innovations @NYU_CREATE found that some studies have shown workplace peer support to have a positive impact on mental health and it is important to maintain healthy boundaries between peer supporters and those they support

8. @IshtarGovia and colleagues @jamhan_ja found many studies in high-income countries suggesting mindfulness interventions are effective, but there is less evidence in low- and middle-income countries and no studies have looked at young workers in hospitality and tourism

9. @SadiqNaveed’s research found that social support interventions appear to effective in improving symptoms of anxiety and depression among young healthcare workers, but do not lead to a significant improvement in perceived stress

10. @CMHLPIndia @DoctorSandesh @netshrink @Kaustubhjoag367 @PragatiBansod1 found that workforce involvement and peer support networks may be promising approaches in low- and middle-income countries, but more research is needed into their effectiveness

You can read all the research on our website.

Also check out our @wef Agenda blog from @mirandarwolpert calling for businesses to take a more evidence-based approach when implementing initiatives for their employees’ mental health weforum.org/agenda/2021/05…

Next week, @wellcometrust will be launching a second call for proposals to help us understand the evidence behind a broader arrange of approaches for supporting mental health at work. Watch this space to find out more!

We’d like to say a big thank you to all the research teams whose findings formed the basis of the report, the stakeholders who have helped to shape our thinking on this work and colleagues @wef and across @wellcometrust for all their support with this project.

And finally, a *special* thank you has to go to the brilliant @RheaNewman15 for all her support to the researchers and work putting the report together, as well as to our fantastic graduate trainee @mon_dahiya for all her brilliant ideas and communications support