Mental health has become one of the most sensitive and urgent issues in the contemporary world of work and little by little, what was previously considered a personal matter today occupies a place central in discussions about productivity, sustainability and organizational culture.
Various recent studies, including those carried out by emi Falck and the management platform of Buk people, confirm that stress, anxiety, depression and burnout syndrome are increasingly common among workers, to the point of becoming a new silent risk for companies and economies in the region.
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Likewise, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 billion people in the world live with some type of mental disorder and, among them, anxiety and depression are the most common, generating a significant impact on global productivity.
According to these experts, 12 billion days of work are currently lost each year, equivalent to US$1 billion in economic losses. Simply put, the cost of mental health neglect is no longer an invisible problem, but rather It translates into lost work hours, lower performance and increasing staff turnover.
Workplace well-being increasingly influences mental health.
Image from ChatGPT
Creation of safe spaces
To understand everything behind this scourge, the first thing to understand is that work environments, according to the WHO, can be both protective spaces and risk scenarios and that factors such as task overload, lack of flexibility, job insecurity and the absence of emotional support or empathetic leadership have direct effects on people’s well-being.
In Colombia, the report “Labor Burnout 2025: Connecting productivity and well-being in Latin America”, prepared by Buk, surveyed 5,700 workers from Chile, Mexico, Peru and Colombia and found that 46% of employees in the region have experienced burnout in the last year, and 14% suffer from it frequently; evidencing that it is a phenomenon that, far from being anecdotal, structurally affects productivity, job retention and job satisfaction.
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In the Colombian case, 13% of workers stated that they had suffered episodes of chronic stress associated with work, while 65% recognized difficulties in planning and completing their tasks on time, one of the highest percentages in the region; reaffirming that time management and the organization of the work day are compromised by a constant overload of responsibilities and by the lack of emotional and structural resources to manage them.
The study also identified relevant gaps between different population groups. Burnout is most common among neurodivergent people (24%), members of the LGBTQ+ community (19%), generation Z (17%) and millennials (14%). In terms of gender, the impact is greater in women (15%) than in men (12%). These differences show that emotional well-being at work is influenced by factors of diversity, inclusion and equity, and that business policies must be sensitive to these particularities.
Workplace well-being increasingly influences mental health.
Image from ChatGPT
Non-minor consequences
From a medical perspective, the consequences are just as worrying and experts such as Alejandro Rivas, manager of the emi Falck Medical Network and faculty of the CEMI Training Center for Colombia of the American Heart Association, warn that work environments with constant pressure, uncertainty or lack of support can trigger adverse physiological responses.
“Prolonged stress increases cortisol levels, causes high blood pressure, sleep disorders, muscle pain and frequent headaches, and can lead to generalized anxiety disorders, depression, cardiovascular diseases or metabolic disorders. Physical and mental health are two sides of the same coin: neglecting one means deteriorating the other,” he explained.
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On the other hand, he noted that the most common symptoms within organizations, such as exhaustion, irritability, frustration, difficulties concentrating or communicating; They tend to go unnoticed at first, but end up affecting both individual performance and team cohesion.
With all of the above, it is clear that the economic impact of this reality is difficult to ignore, since each day lost due to mental illness means lower productivity, but also additional costs in replacements, absenteeism and turnover; while companies that invest in wellness and prevention programs achieve greater loyalty and retention of talent, as well as sustained improvements in operational efficiency.
Workplace well-being increasingly influences mental health.
Image from ChatGPT
This is why Gabriela Durán, Country Manager of Buk in Colombia, makes it clear that “companies must connect well-being with productivity and build more conscious, empathetic and close cultures with their collaborators.”
A way to go
Regarding what should be done about this scourge, international evidence supports that, in an environment where human capital is the main asset, investment in mental health is no longer measured in terms of cost, but rather organizational return and that policies that promote balance between personal and work life translate into more committed and productive teams.
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Emi Falck’s report, presented within the framework of World Mental Health Day, reinforces this vision and proposes addressing emotional well-being in a comprehensive way, combining medical, preventive and organizational strategies. According to the entity, workplaces must be safe, inclusive and protective environments, capable of detecting early signs of wear and tear and offering accessible psychological support, both in person and virtually.
The invitation from the experts is clear and aims to recognize mental health as an essential component of business management; warning that it is not just about offering active breaks or motivational talks, but to build a culture that values rest, empathy and open communication.
Workplace well-being increasingly influences mental health.
Image from ChatGPT
In all of this, leaders play a key role, especially since their ability to listen, accompany and generate trust can make the difference between a worn-out team and a committed one. As more companies integrate emotional well-being into their talent policies, the topic is beginning to become less taboo.
DANIEL HERNÁNDEZ NARANJO
Portfolio Journalist
