An Integrated Approach to Workplace Mental Health: A Scoping Review of Instruments That Can Assist Organizations with Implementation

Abstract

This study aimed to identify instruments that may assist organizations with implementing an integrated approach to workplace mental health using three activities from the knowledge to action (KTA) framework. A scoping review of published and grey literature, supported by stakeholder (business end-user and researcher) consultation, identified work-specific instruments that were relevant to at least one of the three domains of an integrated approach to workplace mental health: ‘prevent harm’, ‘promote the positive’, and ‘respond to problems’. A total of 207 instruments were located, and 109 instruments met eligibility criteria. 10 instruments were located that were relevant to multiple domains, however most instruments (n = 72) were relevant to the ‘prevent harm’ domain. Instruments relevant to the ‘promote the positive’ (n = 14) and ‘respond to problems’ (n = 13) domains were limited. Most instruments found were suitable for the ‘monitor, review and improve’ KTA activity. Further development of instruments that can assist with ‘promote the positive’ and ‘respond to problems’ strategies are required, specifically those instruments that can assist organizations with the ‘identify gaps and opportunities’ and ‘identify priorities and design new/enhanced interventions’ KTA activities.

Evaluating Workforce Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review of Assessments

“…Other review articles with different inclusion criteria may provide additional assessments that can benefit employers and their employees. 13 Finally, due to the need for effective mental health and well-being resources and the fast-moving nature of the field, it is likely that new tools have been developed by the time this review has been published. Therefore, regular updates and future research on new mental health and well-being assessments are recommended.…”

“…12 Given the importance of mental health and well-being assessments to employers' efforts to optimize employee health and well-being, this paper reviews mental health assessments that can be used to measure mental health and wellbeing of a workforce. A recently published scoping review 13 of instruments that can facilitate an organization's efforts to implement integrated approaches to workplace mental health reviewed 109 assessments. The eligibility criteria for that review required that the assessments be work-specific; free to implement; and relate to one or more of three domains of an integrated approach to workplace mental health (ie, prevent harm, promote the positive, or respond to problems).…”

“…Further, exclusion of fee-based assessments may have eliminated useful instruments with applicability for employers. 13 Therefore, a review of workforce mental health assessments categorized by specific domains of mental health (burn-out, stress, psychosocial hazard and risk, resilience, loneliness, and general mental health) may be useful to organizations in the strategic planning of their mental health initiatives. Further a follow-up review that broadens the scope of this current research was acknowledged by authors as needed.…”

“…Further a follow-up review that broadens the scope of this current research was acknowledged by authors as needed. 13 The objective of this review was to curate a list of common mental health and well-being assessments that are applicable to the workplace and categorized under one or more of the following domains: burnout, general mental health and wellbeing, loneliness, psychosocial hazard and risk, resilience, and stress. While not all of the assessments described will have utility across all workforces or employer settings, the aim is that this aggregated review will inform the reader of assessments that are available to consider or adapt for self-identified organizational needs.…”

“…Further a follow-up review that broadens the scope of this current research was acknowledged by authors as needed. 13…”