Suicide Prevention in the Workplace

Getting at the Roots of Suicide Prevention

There are few efforts more important today than decreasing suicide rates. Most suicide prevention efforts focus on identifying signs of suicidality and then taking steps to help connect suicidal people with support or professional help.

But even with all the enormous resources invested in trying to do just that, recent years—even before the pandemic—have seen historic highs in the number of people ending their lives. As valuable as it is to heroically rescue drowning victims in a raging river, at some point we must ask, “why are people falling in the river in the first place?”

The good news is that research has identified a variety of clear risk factors for suicidality. Impact Suite is built on the science of risk factors—designing personalized tools that help people get at the roots of some of the most painful challenges burdening many hearts today, from chemical dependency and sexual compulsivity, to depression and anxiety. The best research confirms that as people make gradual adjustments to key areas in their lives, their overall well-being will measurably improve over time.

In the end, the greatest solution to suicide is to help proactively support the kind of healing and growth that leads people to joyful, connected lives.

5 Lifestyle Adjustments Proven to Decrease Suicidality

Decrease Isolation & Disconnection

A connected life is a happy life—with social isolation, loneliness and alienation among the largest risk factors associated with suicide.1 If an individual lacks support from their existing personal relationships, seeking out companionship and support in their community — including at work — can help build friendships and “found families.” Indeed, psychologist Dr. Dave Schramm argues that productive work structures can mimic what happens in a healthy family.

What can you do? Arrange fun, collaborative employee activities, and foster an environment of open communication where positive interpersonal relationships can flourish.

Increase Physical Health

Eat, sleep, move. Chronic physical health challenges can wear anyone down. One study of hundreds of suicides found “nearly all physical health conditions increased suicide risk,” for instance, with sleep disorders doubling the risk of suicide, and “multiple physical health conditions increas[ing] suicide risk substantially.” These findings “support suicide prevention based on the overall burden of physical health.”2 Naturally then, the more people feel physically well, the less likely they are to be plagued by thoughts of escaping their lives. Yet finding motivation to exercise or eat well can feel especially difficult for those deeply depressed or burdened—which is part of why early preventative efforts are so critical.

What can you do? Orchestrate workplace-wide challenges or contests with small, measurable goals and built-in incentives; also, schedule stretch breaks, or hold meetings on the go while taking a walk around the building.

Expand Meaning & Purpose

Whether it be a service organization, social cause, or religious group, people are less likely to face suicidality if they are actively engaged in opportunities to serve and grow. Meaning in life has been repeatedly found to be a “protective factor against suicidal ideation,”3 - with interventions that increase meaning, consistently found to simultaneously decrease suicidality and depression.4 The more people can feel connected to a larger mission, or higher purpose in life, the research is clear: they will be far less likely to consider ending that life.

What can you do? Create service opportunities and emphasize strong, positive company mission statements to help employees feel connected to a meaningful purpose and cause.

Take Steps to Process Emotional Pain

Helping an employee cope with the scars of severe trauma or mental illness may seem outside the scope of what can be achieved in a corporate setting, although companies are taking significant strides in providing therapeutic support. There is one area where any workplace can become either an aid or a primary culprit: stress levels.

What can you do? Don’t forget to keep tabs on workplace stress. Experiment with different ways to check in with employees—ensuring they can maintain a reasonable work-life balance and get the support they need for their professional requirements.

Cultivate Positivity

More than simply reducing emotional pain, research is clear that active efforts to foster positive emotions and experiences make a huge difference. The science of kindness and gratitude confirms that even small efforts to foster positivity can yield oversized benefits in our emotional well-being - even to the point of protecting people against suicidality.

What can you do? Obviously, hanging inspirational posters or telling people to just “be more positive” isn’t what we’re talking about here. Foster an environment where expressing gratitude is common, and positive feedback is given often. Some companies may even employ incentivized programs that encourage coworkers to “reward” each other for work well done.

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Intervening Early
The effort to combat thoughts or feelings of suicide once they are overwhelming will always be important, but it’s time for something more: intervening earlier to help people find lives that are more connected, meaningful, and purpose-driven while fostering deeper emotional and physical healing and well-being. Our award-winning apps target these very adjustments—helping people make realistic shifts over time in key lifestyle areas, while celebrating their improvements along the way.