Workplaces as Frontlines: Boosting Suicide Prevention Through Employee Wellness

Marking suicide-prevention month, the writer stresses that each loss reverberates through families, friends, neighborhoods and coworkers, making workplace culture a pivotal prevention point. Since most suicide victims are of working age, the author points to CommonSpirit’s commitment, especially its HOSE certification—“Helping Our People Elevate”—which equips managers to discuss mental health and promote resources like the Employee Assistance Program and the 988 hotline.

The initiative began after the region president shared a personal story about his son’s near-suicide, prompting a survey-driven plan to improve support. While applauding broader community efforts such as school HOPE squads and gun-lock campaigns, the piece challenges Utah employers to adopt similar practices, even without formal certification, to ensure no employee is lost to suicide.