Mental health is a state of well-being in which a person can cope with daily stressors, work productively, reach their full potential, and contribute to their community.
Along with physical health and social well-being, mental health is an important component of overall health.
It's also worth noting that mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness. You can have poor mental health without having a mental illness, and you can also have good mental health while having a mental illness.
It is becoming increasingly clear that employees' mental health is a critical determinant of their overall health, and that poor mental health and workplace stressors can contribute to a variety of physical illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions, among others. Furthermore, poor mental health can lead to employee burnout, limiting their ability to contribute meaningfully in both their personal and professional lives.
Stress is the negative reaction that people have in response to excessive pressures or other types of demands placed on them. There is a distinct difference between pressure, which can be motivating, and stress, which can occur when pressure becomes excessive.
Some things that can affect your mental health in your workplace:
Level of support
Bosses who do not assist employees in removing obstacles or sharing resources with them can contribute to employees feeling overwhelmed and unmotivated. It’s important for the boss or person in charge to demonstrate how to complete tasks that are unclear to employees rather than expecting them to figure them out on their own.
Relationship with superiors
A good employer-employee relationship is marked by kind and engaging communication and management practices.
Poor communication and practices, on the other hand, strain the relationship, cause mental health problems, and increase workplace stress.
Dealing with a difficult boss is the most common source of office stress. However, improving communication skills may make this much easier to solve. A genuine conversation could make a difference. Sometimes the boss will set unrealistic goals, and an open discussion will reveal what deadlines can be met.
Relationship with colleagues
Another reason could be difficult co-workers or colleagues. Dealing with a difficult co-worker can be more difficult because their performance is frequently pitted against one's own. This can be resolved through an amicable discussion followed by mutual agreement. One can explain to a colleague how working as a team has far more advantages than competing. However, if things are getting out of hand, the superior in question should be notified.
Work-family conflict
Families are struggling to make sense of an increasingly complicated world. Individuals are attempting to strike a balance between work and family responsibilities. Domestic issues can have an impact on work, so balancing work and home by making adequate time for both can help reduce stress. Excessive travel and time away from family are also sources of stress for employees.
High demand for performance
Unrealistic expectations, particularly during corporate reorganizations, which can put unhealthy and unreasonable pressures on employees, can be a huge source of stress and suffering. Increased workload, extremely long work hours, and intense pressure to perform at peak levels all the time for the same pay can physically and emotionally drain an employee.
Work description
Some jobs may carry a higher personal risk than others (for example, first responders and humanitarian workers), which can have an impact on mental health and be a cause of symptoms of mental disorders, or lead to harmful use of alcohol or psychoactive drugs. In situations where there is a lack of team cohesion or social support, risk may be increased.
Bullying and psychological harassment
Also known as "mobbing", bullying is a source of work-related stress, and it poses a risk to one’s health. It is linked to both psychological and physical issues. They can also be detrimental to family and social interactions.
Other work-related risks include:
• limited participation in decision-making or lack of control over one's area of work;
• tasks that are inappropriate for the person's competencies; or a heavy and unrelenting workload.
A Healthy Workplace
A healthy workplace is one in which workers and managers actively contribute to the working environment by promoting and protecting all employees' health, safety, and well-being.
The days of not discussing mental health are over. Or, at the very least, they should be. Positive mental health is important because it enables people to deal with challenges, even positive ones, and setbacks in their lives, both at work and at home.
Positive mental health at work assists teams in remaining agile when roles and responsibilities change. Not to mention dealing with difficult obstacles. It enables everybody to thrive in their roles, manage stress, and increase resilience. Finally, it enables each person to reach their full potential.
With all of these accolades, it is critical to discuss workplace mental health. It is critical to create a safe space for employees of all levels to communicate openly and without discrimination.
Interventions and best practices for protecting and promoting mental health at work include:
As an employer:
Implementing and enforcing health and safety policies and practices, including identifying distress, harmful use of psychoactive substances, and illness and providing resources to manage them.
Involving employees in decision-making, conveying a sense of control and participation; organizational practices that support a healthy work-life balance.
Recognizing and rewarding employees' contributions.
Employees can unwind and de-stress during mid-day breaks thanks to dedicated quiet spaces for relaxation activities. Making it culturally acceptable to take breaks and use these spaces is also important.
Health insurance that includes mental health benefits with no or low out-of-pocket expenses. Provide free or low-cost prescription medication coverage and mental health counseling.
As an employee:
Participate in programs and activities sponsored by your employer. Always take advantage of employer programs to learn new skills and get the assistance you require.
Share your highs and lows with others. You can share more of their own experiences with other co-workers when appropriate to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. Unless you feel extremely safe, this is more about sharing your humanity than getting into specifics, because your co-workers cannot replace mental health professionals.
Look after your physical health. You can improve your mental health by taking care of your physical health. This includes eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.
Develop relationships. Nurturing social connections at work is critical to preventing workplace social isolation and loneliness.
Can mental health issues affect my job?
Yes it can.
Consider the relationship between your personal mental health and your performance.
When you are in good mental and emotional health, you approach your job with confidence. You're adaptable, flexible, and tough. You are capable of dealing with difficulties. Your contributions to your team are significant, and you excel in both your personal and professional lives.
When you have poor mental health at work, even if it isn't severe, it has a negative impact on your job in a variety of ways. Some of the consequences of poor mental health at work include:
A lack of interest in one's work. Demotivation and lack of focus are caused by poor mental health. When we suffer from workplace mental health issues, our minds wander or fixate on our problems, making it difficult to control our thoughts and emotions.
Productivity and job performance suffer as a result. High performance is mental fortitude in action. Poor mental health can impair job performance by making it more difficult to access the behavioural skills that foster creativity and resilience. We lack the psychological resources to perform well at our jobs if we lack these skills.
Impairment in physical ability and daily functioning. Poor mental health has a significant impact on your daily life and physical capability, ranging from social anxiety to a reduction in cognitive performance and working memory.
Communication misalignment When we are emotionally distressed, it is difficult to communicate effectively. Poor mental health may cause you to misinterpret or overreact to co-workers. It may appear that you are speaking in a passive-aggressive tone, are a poor listener, or have a negative attitude.
Poor mental health can result in impulsive behaviour, unhealthy thoughts, and poor decision-making. Poor decision-making can result in missed meetings, arriving late, breaking promises, or failing to follow company policies.
Poor mental health and emotional distress at work are problematic for businesses for a variety of reasons, including:
Disengaged employees
Poor communication
High turnover
Safety liabilities
Poor job performance
Low productivity
Poor decision-making
Decreased profits
By: Deborah Alifa