On the wall of a typical office or healthcare center, one might see painted landscapes or abstract art in soothing blue tones meant to calm patients. The walls of Massachusetts General Hospital’s (MGH) Chelsea HealthCare Center, however, look a bit different.

Large pictures of brightly colored murals hang throughout the building. One features the owner of a local yoga studio watering her flowers; she’s framed by an enormous lace doily. Another features a Latina woman facing away from the camera, a rooster on her shoulder and an aloe plant in her hand — symbols of protection and healing. A third shows a Black child playing the violin as sparrows fly out of a broken vase.

These works are part of The People’s heART , a physician-led art program that works with local, national, and international artists to create installations that rotate throughout MGH’s three community health centers. “Our goal is to reimagine healthcare spaces to better reflect and serve the rich diversity of our patients, staff, and community,” says Daniel Chonde, MD, PhD, founder and executive director of The People’s heART.

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• Decent work is good for mental health.
• Poor working environments – including discrimination and inequality, excessive workloads, low job control and job insecurity – pose a risk to mental health.
• 15% of working-age adults were estimated to have a mental disorder in 2019.
• Globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.
• There are effective actions to prevent mental health risks at work, protect and promote mental health at work, and support workers with mental health conditions.

Work can protect mental health

Almost 60% of the world population is in work (1). All workers have the right to a safe and healthy environment at work. Decent work supports good mental health by providing:

• a livelihood; 
• a sense of confidence, purpose and achievement;
• an opportunity for positive relationships and inclusion in a community; and
• a platform for structured routines, among many other benefits.

For people with mental health conditions, decent work can contribute to recovery and inclusion, improve confidence and social functioning. 

Safe and healthy working environments are not only a fundamental right but are also more likely to minimize tension and conflicts at work and improve staff retention, work performance and productivity. Conversely, a lack of effective structures and support at work, especially for those living with mental health conditions, can affect a person’s ability to enjoy their work and do their job well; it can undermine people’s attendance at work and even stop people getting a job in the first place.

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