BACKGROUND: Workplace mental health initiatives often overlook stigma, which may function as a "hidden demand", undermining psychological safety and help-seeking. OBJECTIVE: To assess psychosocial factors and perceived public stigma among employees related to mental-health programs in companies rated as the best workplaces in Brazil. METHODS: We surveyed 166 professionals from 36 companies using three Guarding Minds at Work (GM@W) domains and the Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Questionnaire. Generalized linear models were used for quantitative data, and thematical analysis qualitative data originated from three mixed-role focus groups plus GM@W open-ended responses. RESULTS: Most respondents endorsed companies' effective response to identified psychological risks (81.5%) and that companies support employees with mental health problems (84.1%). However, only 59.2% reported employees are free from mental-illness stigma at work, and fewer endorsed adequate stress-coping support. Public stigma perception was correlated with worse GM@W scores. National companies and mental-health professionals reported poorer perceptions in key domains. Qualitative themes converged on leadership strain, uneven program quality/scale, return-to-work friction, stigma, and the need to embed mental health into strategy and prevention. CONCLUSIONS: Even in companies rated as the best workplaces in Brazil, psychosocial protection and stigma remain an issue. Strengthening leadership capability, governance, confidentiality safeguards, and evaluation is essential.
Loch et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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