Over the past two decades, the suicide rate among working-aged people jumped 33% according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This unfortunate statistic underscores the importance of mental health support at work. In fact, the average person spends a third of their life at work, demonstrating why workplaces are crucial intervention points for someone who is struggling.
Earlier in 2025, ComPsych sponsored the Chicagoland Out of the Darkness Walk, an annual event hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Attending this event and seeing firsthand the impact that suicide can have on both families and communities, as well as the ways we can come together to raise awareness and stop these tragedies from happening, was inspiring.
Here are some key insights into risk factors, prevention strategies, program considerations, and more to ensure your organization is effectively supporting suicide prevention in the workplace and promoting employee well-being.
Understanding Workplace-Related Suicide Risk
There are a variety of factors that contribute to suicide risk at both the organizational and individual level. Understanding these factors, and how they intersect, is the first step into helping prevent tragedies from occurring.
Common Workplace Risk Factors
Data shows that workplace conditions can significantly influence an employee’s psychological well-being and by extension, his or her risk for suicide. Job-related stress is one of the most pervasive workplace suicide risk factors with chronic pressure, demanding workloads, unrealistic deadlines, unattainable goals or expectations, and excessive hours all contributing to someone’s mental health eroding over time. Workplace cultures where people don’t feel valued, respected, or appreciated contribute further to this risk.
Other risk factors include job or financial insecurity, which can create uncertainty and anxiety while amplifying stress. Additionally, work environments where bullying or harassment is tolerated can quickly become toxic, resulting in elevated suicide risk, particularly for targeted employees. It’s quite common for workers who are consistently subjected to intimidation, exclusion, or humiliation to experience depression, anxiety, and feelings of helplessness or isolation. Left unchecked, this can lead to tragic consequences.
Another important job-related risk factor to consider is access to lethal means. For example, in professions where a person routinely handles firearms, dangerous machinery, or potentially fatal substances, there may be elevated suicide rates partly due to this accessibility during moments of acute crisis.
High-Risk Industries and Occupations
We know from CDC data that certain professions consistently show elevated suicide rates. For instance, healthcare workers like physicians and nurses face high stress, long hours, and regular exposure to trauma and death. First responders such as police officers, firefighters, and paramedics experience similar challenges in their day-to-day work along with post-traumatic stress from critical incidents. This is also common among members of the military as well as veterans transitioning to civilian life.
Construction is another industry that shows disproportionately high suicide rates, potentially linked to physical demands, job insecurity, and workplace cultures where mental health support can be stigmatized. Financial instability and seasonal employee pressures are also common struggles seen among farm and agricultural workers.
Of course, it’s vital for all organizations – regardless of industry – to support employee well-being. However, it’s especially important that businesses in these fields consider how they’re helping to prevent suicide and promote mental health among their workforces.
The Intersection of Work and Personal Risk Factors
Ultimately, risk factors don’t exist in a vacuum. Workplace and personal factors intersect in complex ways to influence overall suicide risk. For example, financial stress from work issues can strain personal relationships, while family problems may diminish professional performance, creating a destructive cycle. An employee already managing depression or substance use disorder may find their condition exacerbated by workplace stressors, while someone facing personal issues may be pushed toward crisis by additional professional pressures.
The interconnected nature of risk factors and stressors is why we emphasize a holistic approach to well-being. It’s essential that employers recognize the complex dynamics at play and provide supportive policies, comprehensive benefits and empathetic cultures where people are comfortable seeking help as it could potentially save lives.
The Business Case for Suicide Prevention
Preventing suicide and helping employees who are struggling is of course the right thing to do. More than that, however, it makes good business sense given the astronomical cost of an employee suicide from both an emotional and financial standpoint.
The Human and Financial Cost of Workplace Suicide
The cost of employee suicide extends far beyond the immeasurable human tragedy. Organizations face substantial financial consequences including lost productivity, recruitment and training expenses for replacements, potential litigation, and workers’ compensation claims. In fact, studies estimate that losing an employee to suicide can cost employers between 50-200% of that person’s annual salary when accounting for hiring, onboarding, and productivity losses during the transition.
Beyond direct costs, workplace suicides profoundly impact remaining employees. Coworkers often experience grief, guilt, decreased morale, and reduced productivity while the copy with this loss. This “psychological ripple effect” can persist for months or years, affecting team cohesion and organizational culture broadly. The psychological impact on remaining employees frequently leads to increased absenteeism, higher turnover rates, and elevated mental health claims across the workforce.
Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
Employers have both legal and moral obligations to provide safe work environments. While OSHA’s General Duty Clause requires employers to furnish workplaces “free from recognized hazards,” emerging legal interpretations increasingly recognize psychological hazards alongside physical ones. This means organizations that are negligent in addressing known mental health risks open themselves up to potential liability and litigation, particularly when workplace conditions contribute to employee distress.
Beyond compliance, employers have an ethical duty of care to support employee well-being. This responsibility encompasses creating supportive cultures, providing mental health resources, and training managers to recognize warning signs as well as how to refer an employee to available resources.
ROI of Prevention Programs
Comprehensive prevention programs—including employee assistance programs, mental health training, crisis intervention protocols, and stigma reduction initiatives—typically cost significantly less than the consequences of a single employee suicide.
Organizations implementing proactive mental health strategies report improved employee engagement, reduced healthcare costs, decreased absenteeism, and enhanced reputation as employers of choice. Workplace suicide prevention benefits extend throughout the organization, creating cultures where employees feel valued and supported. This proactive approach transforms suicide prevention from a reactive expense into a strategic investment in workforce stability, productivity, and organizational resilience.
Supporting Employee Well-Being and Reducing Stigma
Creating a workplace culture that genuinely supports mental health requires more than policies and programs—it demands a fundamental shift in how we talk about and approach psychological well-being at work.
Breaking Down Stigma and Barriers
Stigma remains one of the most significant obstacles preventing employees from accessing mental health support. Many workers fear that disclosing mental health struggles will damage their professional reputation, limit career advancement opportunities, or lead to differential treatment. To combat this, organizations must actively work to normalize conversations about mental health and demonstrate that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Leadership plays a crucial role in this cultural transformation. When managers and executives openly discuss mental health, share their own experiences with stress or seeking support, and visibly prioritize well-being, it sends a powerful message throughout the organization. This top-down modeling gives employees permission to prioritize their own well-being without fear of judgment or repercussion.
Creating a Supportive Infrastructure
Reducing stigma requires concrete action. Ensure mental health resources are easily accessible, confidential, and well-communicated. Regularly remind employees about available Employee Assistance Programs, mental health benefits, crisis hotlines (including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and other support services. Make these resources visible in break rooms, company intranets, and employee communications.
We also know training is essential. Equip managers and supervisors to recognize warning signs, have compassionate conversations, and make appropriate referrals. Peer support programs and mental health first aid training can also empower employees to support one another while creating a culture of collective care.
Moving Forward Together
Workplace suicide prevention is not a one-time initiative; it’s an ongoing commitment to creating environments where people feel valued, supported, and safe to ask for help. By understanding risk factors, implementing comprehensive prevention strategies, providing accessible resources, and actively working to reduce stigma, organizations can save lives while building healthier, more resilient workplaces.
The statistics are sobering, but they also remind us of the critical role workplaces play in supporting mental health. When we prioritize suicide prevention and employee well-being, we’re not just protecting our workforce. We’re affirming that every life matters and that seeking help is always the right choice.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988. Help is always available, and you are not alone.
