Is Toxic Masculinity Putting Your Workers at Risk?

Community discussions around mental health and the issue of men seeking help are vigorously flowing through the media. This issue comes off the back of the #MeToo movement and the Gillette ad campaign, illustrating the idea of toxic masculinity. While there is a huge amount of hype circulating around this topic, a recent research report adds considerable substance to the issue of men under-performing, when they need help for mental health issues.

The statistics show that three times as many men died by suicide compared to women (six every day in Australia) with women three times more likely to seek help when they need it. It's alarming to think that traditional masculinity may be linked to higher risks of suicide, substance abuse, early death and violence. Let's unpick some of the traits of toxic masculinity drawing from the Man Box Study Report and provide guidance for tackling mental health in your workplace.