Table 4.

Sample recommendations (grey literature) for workplace approaches to reducing mental health absenteeism

Source	Recommendation
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine [100]	Use comprehensive approaches that span injury prevention, health promotion, and accommodation Provide primary prevention through mental health and resilience promotion Identify and modify sources of stress and other relevant risk factors, reduce stigma Provide employee education, voluntary screening, supervisor training, and employee assistance programs Facilitate early detection and treatment before sickness absence or job loss occurs Establish referral pathways to find evidence-based practitioners experienced in workplace issues Provide workplace accommodations for disability prevention and return to work Engage on-site medical personnel to actively support treatment adherence Ensure management commitment to an integrated workplace approach for dealing with depression Evaluate programs periodically for most effective coordination of mental health problems
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine [9]	Ensure that medical determinations of ability to work are based on accurate job information Recognize potential negative life impacts of a prolonged work absence Early disability prevention efforts are best Educate employees about the benefits of an early return to work Insure appropriate medical treatment of mental health conditions
Job Accommodation Network [101]	Give practical guidance on workplace accommodations to address specific functional problems at work Suggest potential accommodations for a range of mental conditions and provide case example illustrations
O’Day [102]	Use evidence-based Supported Employment (SE) for people with serious mental illnesses Provide a reasonably supportive workplace with flexibility and empathy
Waddell et al. [103]	Become involved in community efforts to provide accommodations for persons with mental health problems EAP programs may help to reduce mental-health related work disability Use disease and case management, disability management, and early contact and improved communication Provide routine occupational health consultations at the workplace for employees with mental health disorders
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [104]	Address mental health stigma Manager training and support to respond to workers’ mental health issues, including toolkits Human resource professionals who provide education and support to managers about the RTW process
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development [104]	Avoid high levels of job stress Provide early response to sick leave Adopt strategies to avoid workplace conflicts and reduce stigma Insist on being an active part of a workers’ rehabilitation plan to achieve a sustained return to work Ensure adequate manager support and positive reinforcement Modified duty or partial sick leave may be an effective strategy to prevent total work absence
World Health Organization [105]	Increase general employee awareness of mental health issues Support employees at risk Provide early access to treatment for employees with mental health problems Reintegrate employees with a mental health problem into the workplace Effective accommodation should include supervisor orientation, modified work times, and co-worker support Potentially useful accommodations are flexible working hours, education, using selected co-workers as mentors Protect confidentiality Change job content