Mental health promotion to presenteeism in the workplace in Nishi Kobe Medical Center

Abstract

Mental health care in occupational health has lately attracted considerable attention in Japan. The Partial Amendment to the Industrial Safety and Health Act in 2014 obliged companies to enforce stress checks by doctors and community health nurses. Lately presenteeism has been considered as the decline of occupational performance due to poor health conditions, has received attention in occupational health contexts, and has been considered to be severer than absenteeism which is loss due to absence at work. We must find a means to solve the problem of presenteeism in the health care activity of mental health departments in hospitals. The author approaches this research as an employee of Nishi Kobe Medical Center. It is anticipated that relationships at Nishi Kobe Medical Center will improve as a result of the author’s activity there. In the future, mental health promotion for presenteeism should be cooperatively developed and organized in the mental health division. Finally, it is believed that such health promotion activities will help to improve happiness in the workplace.