As a manager, you are well positioned to notice if your employees are struggling and to take the first steps in assisting them to get help. You spend much time at work and have day-to-day contact with your employees. You get to know them over time, can observe changes in their behavior, and may see them at critical points in their life. In addition, workplaces often have a structure, such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), to which you can refer employees to help them find a mental health professional.
You can also play an active role in suicide prevention by creating a work environment that fosters communication, a sense of belonging and respect. Feeling connected to a community promotes emotional wellbeing and can decrease the risk of suicide. Stigma about mental illness can keep people from sharing their situation and seeking help, especially in their workplaces. Reassure your employees that mental health problems are real and treatable.
Identifying who may be at risk of suicide
Be alert to problems that increase suicide risk.
There are a large number of risk factors for suicide. Some of the most significant ones are:
Prior suicide attempt(s)
Alcohol and drug abuse
Mood and anxiety disorders, e.g., depression or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Access to lethal means
Look for signs of immediate risk for suicide.
There are some behaviors that may mean a person is at immediate risk for suicide. These three should prompt you to take action right away:
Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself
Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or obtaining a gun
Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
Suicide risk is usually greater among people with more than one risk factor. For individuals who are already at risk, a “triggering” event causing shame or despair may make them more likely to attempt suicide. These events may include relationship problems or breakups, problems at work, financial hardships, legal difficulties and worsening health. Even though most people with risk factors will not attempt suicide, they should be evaluated by a professional.
Respond to those who may be at risk for suicide
Be prepared by knowing who to contact in your workplace if an employee is distressed or suicidal. The EAP and human resources department are the appropriate first points of contact.
Take action if you encounter someone who is at immediate risk.
If an employee is:
Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself
Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or obtaining a gun
Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
Take the following steps right away:
If the danger of self-harm seems imminent, call local emergency services
Stay with the person (or make sure the person is in a private, secure place with another caring person) until you can get further help
Contact the EAP or human resources department; they will help you decide what to do. Provide any background information that may be helpful
Maintain contact with the employee and the EAP or human resources department to provide appropriate support and follow-up
Reach out to someone who may be at risk.
The steps above are an appropriate response to an employee showing immediate warning signs of suicide. To help other employees who may be at risk for suicide, you can take the steps below, depending on what feels most comfortable to you:
Talk with your EAP or human resources department
Reach out to the person
Ask how he or she is doing
Listen without judging
Mention changes you have noticed in the person’s behavior and say that you are concerned about his or her emotional wellbeing
Suggest that he or she talk with someone in the EAP, the human resources department or another mental health professional
Provide ongoing support to the person
