Search

Objective: To investigate the association between managers' attitudes towards subordinates with common mental disorders (CMD), self-confidence in supporting these subordinates and managerial preventive actions (MPAs). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Swedish managers (n = 2988) and two types of MPAs: reviewing assignments and work situation (MPA-review); talking about CMD at the workplace (MPA-talk). Binary logistic regression models were applied and adjusted for individual and organizational covariates. Results: Managers with negative attitudes towards subordinates with CMD were less likely to have done both MPAs. Managers with higher self-confidence in supporting these subordinates were more likely to have done both MPAs compared with managers with lower self-confidence. Conclusions: Managerial negative attitudes towards CMD and self-confidence in supporting subordinates with CMD have a role in MPAs and should be addressed in manager training programmes to encourage preventive actions. Copyright © 2023 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Background: Common mental disorders (CMDs) are an extensive problem in the society and attributed to stigma. Prevention of CMD at work is advocated but few studies have investigated what kind of preventive actions managers take. We investigated managers’ attitudes to depression and two managerial preventive actions (MPA): ‘reviewing assignments and the work situation’ (MPA-review) and ‘taking initiative to talk about depression and anxiety at the workplace’ (MPA-talk). We hypothesized that managers’ negative attitudes towards depression would be negatively associated with both MPAs. Methods: An on-line survey was sent in 2017 to 4737 managers, answer rate 71% (n = 3358), of which 2 899 were included in this study. Negative attitudes were measured through the 12-item instrument “Managerial stigma towards employee depression” (scores 12-72), a cut-off at the 3rd quartile was used as an indicator for having negative attitudes. MPAs were measured with two single questions. Negative attitudes to depression were analyzed in relation to MPA-review and MPA-talk using binary logistic regression analysis with adjustments for sex, education, managerial experience and training, lived experiences of CMD, work organizational context and general preventive actions in the organization towards CMD. Results: The proportion of managers with negative attitudes to depression was 20%, performing MPA-review and MPA-talk was 50% and 57% respectively. Adjusted for all co-variates, managers with negative attitudes towards employees with depression were less likely to do both MPA-review (OR 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57-0.89) and MPA-talk (OR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.42-0.66). Conclusions: Managers with negative attitudes to depression were less likely to take actions to prevent CMD among their employees which confirmed the study hypotheses. The study suggests that initiatives to reduce stigma among managers could be a way forward to prevent CMD at work. Key messages: • Stigma to depression hampers managers’ pr, Abstract citation ID: ckac131.262

Background: Despite managers’ responsibility for work environment and employee health few studies have investigated managers’ actions to prevent common mental disorders (CMD). Concerning prevention of CMD, qualitative studies report managers feeling unconfident. We investigated managers’ self-confidence in supporting employees with CMD and two managerial preventive actions (MPA): ‘reviewing assignments and the work situation’ (MPA-review) and ‘taking initiative to talk about depression and anxiety at the workplace’ (MPA-talk). We hypothesized that managers’ self-confidence in supporting employees with CMD would be positively associated with both MPAs. Methods: An on-line survey was sent in 2017 to 4737 managers, answer rate 71% (n = 3358), of which 2 899 were included in this study. Both independent and dependent variables were measured through single questions. Self-confidence in supporting employees with CMD was analyzed in relation to MPA-review and MPA-talk using binary logistic regression analysis adjusted for sex, education, managerial experience and training, lived experiences of CMD, work organizational context and general preventive actions in the organization towards CMD. Results: The proportion of managers with higher self-confidence in supporting employees with CMD was 48.9%, performing MPA-review and MPA-talk was 50% and 57% respectively. Adjusted for all co-variates, managers with higher self-confidence in supporting employees with CMDs were more likely to do both MPA-review (OR 1.57; 95% CI, 1.31-1.87) and MPA-talk (OR 2.06; 95% CI, 1.71-2.25). Conclusions: The study hypotheses were confirmed. Managers with more self-confidence in supporting employees with CMD were more likely to take actions to prevent CMD, particularly regarding initiating talks about CMD with subordinates. The study suggests it is important to strengthen managers self-confidence in supporting employees with CMD to increase their preventive actions towards CMD. Key messages: • Manag, Abstract citation ID: ckac131.261