HR: Worker Suicides - U.S.

I've posted a couple of items about the worker suicides in China -- as clearly worrisome items related to HR practices.  Perhaps not surprisingly, the reports are now appearing about a clearly dramatic rise in worker suicides in U.S. workplaces.  According to an Employee Benefit News posting (6/2/10, workplace suicides jumped 28% in 2008.  Given the length of the current economic challenges, concerns over continued rise in these incidents must be raised.

One EAP provider commented that "Our EAP counselors have been transformed this past year from EAP counselors to crisis counselors."  This same provider stated that suicides and suicide attempts were up 75% in 2009 compared to 2008.

Comment:  Like any similar issue, suicide or attempted suicide affects the individual and his or her family more than anything.  But we cannot ignore the impact of this issue on other employees and the overall morale/productivity of the organization.  Like workplace violence, the word prevention comes to mind.  Concerns over potential liability, and stress management, and how organizations treat layoffs or downsizing -- the list goes on and on.  Sounds repetitive -- but another HR issue for monitoring and strategic thinking.