by In a 2024 report titled The burnout economy: poverty and mental healthUN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Olivier De Schutter highlights a problem that is often ignored: our capitalist societies, obsessed with economic growth, are facing a global mental health crisis. This crisis is having a disproportionate impact on the most disadvantaged groups, exposing the shortcomings of an economic model that prioritizes financial metrics over human well-being.
- What are the harmful consequences of the ruthless pursuit of economic growth?
Since the Industrial Revolution, economic growth has been seen as an essential driver of progress. Governments, businesses and international institutions have adopted policies that prioritize GDP growth, often at the expense of social and environmental considerations.
But this ubiquitous purpose comes at a human cost. Fierce competition, long work hours and economic instability create conditions that fuel anxiety, depression and other mental disorders. In OECD member states, between a third and a half of new disability claims are related to mental health. According to the report, this share among young adults is estimated at more than 70 percent.
- Why are low-income people more vulnerable to mental health problems?
The link between poverty and mental health is well established. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 970 million people (11 percent of the world’s population) suffer from mental disorders, but “people with lower incomes are up to three times more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and other common mental health problems.” diseases than those with the highest incomes.” People living in extreme poverty are exposed to chronic stressors due to a lack of financial security, limited access to mental health care, and social stigma.
- Is the burnout epidemic among white-collar workers also a product of this economic system?
The relentless pursuit of productivity, combined with a growing gap between the work being done and its purpose, fuels a feeling of emptiness and exhaustion. Long working hours, often unattainable goals and stressful work environments create a fertile breeding ground for burnout. This pressure is not only felt by large companies; even small businesses and the self-employed are trapped by the demands of an economic system that prioritizes performance at all costs, at the expense of individual well-being. When it comes to work-related mental health, the WHO reports that only 35 percent of countries report having national employee promotion and prevention programs.
- How can we tailor our economic objectives so that well-being is a priority?
Economists and policymakers should embrace models that prioritize well-being, such as Gross National Happiness (GDP) indicators (inspired by Bhutan), along with strengthened social protection policies, including universal access to mental health care. The UN estimates that on average, governments spend only 2.1 percent of their healthcare expenditure on mental health care.
The structure of our economy must be redesigned, putting people back at the center. The UN report details how shifts in working conditions and policies aimed at ‘flexibilizing’ labor have significantly contributed to the mental health crisis among low-income workers. These changes have led to fewer long-term contracts, an increase in precarious work in part-time or self-employment, and a decline in both wages and worker protections. De Schutter notes that in today’s 24/7 digital economy, being unemployed can be less damaging to mental health than taking on an insecure job. Insecurity, lack of decent pay, and unpredictable hours make it virtually impossible to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
- What initiatives can be taken to tackle this crisis?
Some existing initiatives show that change is possible: for example, Iceland has successfully introduced a four-day working week without pay cuts, which has improved employee well-being. In New Zealand, former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern proposed a ‘welfare budget’ in 2019, offering an alternative approach to public policy development.
The Special Rapporteur also calls on governments to introduce regulations that guarantee decent work and fair pay, including measures such as universal basic income and more predictable working hours. He emphasizes the need for a ‘biopsychosocial’ approach and advocates the active involvement of those directly involved in the policy-making process. Finally, he recommends expanding access to green spaces, which can help people reconnect with nature and bring significant benefits to mental well-being.
Read more here:
– Read the press release: The WHO and the ILO are calling for new measures to tackle mental health problems at work
– Watch the video interview (in French) with sociologist Nicolas Framont, author of the book Vous ne Détestez Pas le Lundi, Vous Détestez la Domination au Travail (You don’t hate Mondays, you hate dominance at work).
– See the website of the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, and watch his presentation of the report for the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (from 49:54).
This article has been translated from French.
