Time to prioritise mental health in the workplace

Organisations worldwide are struggling with mental health challenges, with anxiety being described as the top mental health issue in the workplace today. South African organisations and higher education institutions are no exception to this.

The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day, celebrated every year on 10 October, is workplace mental health and highlights the importance of addressing mental health and well-being in the workplace. Deadlines, interpersonal relationships, management of staff, negative characteristics of the workplace, and dealing with work-related issues that arise are considered some of the primary factors leading to work-related mental ill-health.

Psychologist — Carmine Nieman is a lecturer in industrial psychology at the University of the Free State. Photo: Supplied/Health For Mzansi

Furthermore, worldwide as well as South African transformations, including technological developments, shifts in the nature of work, demographical changes, financial instability and demands, and re-skilling and upskilling to adapt to new developments, create opportunities but risks for mental health in the workplace. Even the definition of mental health has been described as too broad and, at times, confusing.

According to the World Health Organisation, mental health is a state of well-being in which individuals realise their abilities, can cope with the everyday stresses of life, can work productively and successfully, and can contribute to their community.

Individual and biological factors play a role in mental health, but it is important to note that having unfavourable experiences and circumstances can increase the risk of experiencing mental ill-health, including work experiences and circumstances.

When there are insufficient systems and resources available to support mental health, the consequences can be detrimental, not just for the individual but also for the organisation.

Workplace mental health often misunderstood

The challenge regarding mental health in the workplace is often misunderstood and not given enough attention. Many organisations mistakenly believe that mental health is a personal problem and, therefore, doesn’t belong in the workplace. However, this is not the case, and organisations must prioritise mental health in the workplace without delay.

Champion mental health in the workplace

Employees experience work-related anxiety and report that instead of their personal lives interfering with their professional lives, they find that work-related anxiety disrupts their personal lives, specifically impacting their relationships with their partners.

Conflict between home/family and work is further commonly associated with anxiety and depression experienced by employees.

Mental ill-health is brought on by a combination of work-related and nonwork-related elements that interact to affect the employee personally and their work. Besides affecting employees’ personal and work lives, it directly influences the organisation or institution, with more than 18 days taken off work due to depression. Workplace mental ill-health influences the levels of concentration of employees; employees complain about poor memory and being easily distracted, as well as problem-solving difficulties.

Unfortunately, organisations today still do not know how to deal with mental health in the workplace and also indicated that they have very little to no support given by the organisation or institution. It is, therefore, important that organisations face the reality of mental health in the workplace and not view it as a personal challenge to deal with at home.

Organisations should lead and prioritise employees

The workplace can either be a resource that enhances or undermines the mental health of employees. Organisations should take a leading position and prioritise their employees when managing and supporting their mental health. When considering that individuals write their life stories and attach meaning based on how they interpret events, how can work not be a part of their life stories?

Employees interpret work events and daily work life and internalise them to create life stories, just as they interpret their personal experiences. How an employee interprets and understands work-related challenges and demands affects their life.

Mentally healthy employees are more likely to fulfil their potential, function well, cope with and enjoy work, family and social relationships, and make healthy life choices.

When it comes to fostering workplace mental health and reducing anxiety and depression, positive predispositions in a person’s memory and future thinking are thought to be necessary.

Organisations should, therefore, support workplace mental health by encouraging positive environments that lead to positive memory as well as encouraging future-minded and future-focused employees. An employee’s mental health, general quality of life, and engagement or productivity at work can all be significantly affected by unhealthy settings such as stigma, high-pressure environments, lack of support, discrimination, bullying, and exposure to dangers like harassment and other unfavourable working conditions.

Organisations can ensure that all employees have the opportunity to flourish in life and at work by devoting time and resources to evidence-based strategies and interventions, policies, and support services dedicated to mental health. Organisations and employees can create a healthier future by encouraging mental health in the workplace. Organisations now have a moral and economic obligation to support employees’ mental health; it is, therefore, time to prioritise workplace mental health.