{
  "id": 14659497,
  "title": "Mental health at work starts by breaking the taboo, EU agency says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/mental-health-at-work-starts-by-breaking-the-taboo-eu-agency-says",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-15T09:21:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/15/mental-health-at-work-starts-by-breaking-the-taboo-eu-agency-says"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mental well-being in the workplace begins with shattering the stigma, according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). Executive Director William Cockburn explained to Euronews that employers and employees alike often shy away from openly discussing mental health issues, which hinders efforts to tackle the problem. Nearly half (45%) of EU workers face mental health risks at work, with long hours, intense pressure, and emotionally demanding tasks contributing to the issue. Cockburn highlighted psychosocial risks such as excessive workloads and poor working conditions as major contributors to poor mental health. The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) estimates that work-related depression costs the EU over €100 billion annually, considering lost productivity, healthcare expenses, and social costs. Despite the significant financial burden, a lack of open dialogue and stigma among workers slows progress, Cockburn noted. To address mental health issues effectively, Cockburn advocates for viewing them as crucial as physical health concerns in the workplace. This involves identifying hazards, such as long hours and toxic work relationships, and implementing safeguards to minimize harm. Workers must be involved in the conversation, yet current statistics show only 45% feel consulted about their job's stressful aspects. The European Commission recently launched the Healthy Workplaces campaign to help employers identify, assess, and manage psychosocial risks. The campaign aims to break the stigma surrounding mental health struggles to enhance well-being, reduce absenteeism, improve productivity, and lessen the strain on healthcare systems.",
  "summary": "Nearly half of European workers face mental health risks on the job, yet the subject remains taboo.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Peninsula Qatar",
        "title": "QU marks World Mental Health Day with event promoting dialogue and wellbeing",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/qu-marks-world-mental-health-day-with-event-promoting-dialogue-and",
        "published": "2026-10-15T06:50:33.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}