Objective: To assess the views of employees (human resource, works council, supervisors, and executives) of German business companies and administrations toward the issue of mental health at the workplace.
Methods: Cross sectional survey of N = 348 employees with staff responsibility.
Results: Employees of German companies see their colleagues as moderately mentally stressed. About 14 % of all employees are judged to suffer from a mental disease. These numbers have risen in recent years. About 37 % of all mental illnesses are seen as caused by work conditions. The handling of mental illness at the workplace is seen as insufficient and in many cases stigmatizing.
Conclusion: At least subjectively the issue of mental illness in the workplace has gained in importance in recent years. Possible interventions should especially address executives and supervisors.
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.