Best practice indicators in workplace mental health promotion: development and expert validation

Abstract

Most of our waking hours are spent in the workplace, where mental health significantly impacts workers’ quality of life and overall well-being. Mental health can have both positive and negative consequences not only on the working population but also on organizations and society as a whole. In this context, best practices in Workplace Mental Health Promotion (WMHP) are essential for guiding initiatives aimed at fostering mental health in occupational settings. The main objective of this study was to develop and validate best-practice indicators for WMHP. For this purpose, a qualitative empirical design was employed. Drawing on a review of the WMHP literature, a list of potential indicators was generated and subsequently submitted to an expert panel for evaluation. The reliability of the expert judgments was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Content validity was evaluated through the content validity ratio (CVR) and the modified kappa statistic (K*). As a result, 27 validated, evidence-based indicators were obtained, which showed consistency with findings from previous research. These results have important theoretical and practical implications and can inform future research as well as guide practitioners and organizations in the implementation of WMHP practices.