Developing a multidimensional worker mental health index for assessing workplace well being in Ghana

Workplace mental health is critical for both employee well-being and organizational productivity, yet systematic monitoring tools are lacking in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study developed a multidimensional Worker Mental Health Index (WMHI) for Ghanaian workers, integrating 12 indicators across three domains - psychological distress, well-being, and psychological capital. Cross-sectional data were collected from 2,230 workers (53.7% female; M = 36.6 years, SD = 7.4) in Ghana. Using the Alkire–Foster method, the WMHI captured both breadth (proportion of sufficient indicators) and depth (intensity of sufficiency). No worker achieved sufficiency across all indicators, while 12.1% were deficient across all indicators. The average breadth score was 0.36 and the depth score was 0.64, indicating small breadth but high intensity where sufficiency existed. Mental health sufficiency varied by age, education, marital status, tenure, and occupational role. The WMHI classified workers into five mental health states: flourishing (4.3%), well-being (13.1%), languishing (29.3%), struggling (20.4%), and crisis (32.3%), each exhibiting distinct patterns of distress, resources, and resilience. The findings demonstrate the WMHI’s capacity to provide a nuanced, actionable framework for monitoring workforce mental health in Ghana and similar LMIC contexts, enabling targeted interventions.