Company Name(s): Take This, Inc.
Overview: One in four adults in America experience some mental health issue due to factors such as long hours, workplace isolation, and transitory employment. Due to the nature of highly technical and creative work, that figure is higher in the games industry. Possibly as high as 50%.
Mental health issues accelerate burnout and drain productivity. Depression alone accounts for over 200 lost workdays a year, at a cost of billions of dollars in productivity.
Game studio culture can accelerate or exacerbate symptoms of mental illness, and many emotional ailments can worsen in the game industry workplace, resulting in tragic outcomes.
This 1-hour lecture will offer simple, effective advice on how too de-stigmatize mental health issues in your studio; help yourself and others create a positive work experience; effectively reach to those who may be suffering silently; and create a culture with a positive resistance to mental health issues.