This special day spreads awareness about mental health and motivates people to prioritise their mental well-being. A significant number of people are suffering from mental health issues due to various reasons, one of them being work-related stress. Unfortunately, not everyone likes to discuss their mental health issues due to the fear of being judged. In order to have sound mental health, it is essential to address your problems and seek professional help if you’re struggling.
Reasons for mental stress vary from person to person, but workplace stress generally impacts them the same way. Many organisations are recognising and prioritising employee mental health by offering counselling sessions, yoga classes, and holding mindfulness workshops, for their employees. In this article, let’s understand the importance of mental health at work and a few suggestions to create a more positive work environment.
- The Workplace and Mental Health
Everyone spends a major portion of their time in their workplace which affects their mental health to a great extent. The work environment can immensely influence your mental health. You can experience Stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout due to the excessive workload lack of sleep, and constant challenges to meet the deadline. Lack of work-life balance can significantly disturb your mental peace and disrupt your sleep pattern leading to serious health issues.
- Neglected Mental Health at Work
Ignoring mental health issues at work will have adverse effects on you as well as the organisation. Stress leads to reduced efficiency and performance which can pose problems for the company as well. You have to take frequent leaves due to health issues related to mental stress. Also, if your stress levels are controlled or addressed, the mental health issues can cause long-term chronic illness and deteriorated health. This situation can affect your job performance, lead to low self-confidence, and demotivate you.
- Ways to Promote Mental Health at Work
Organisations should make efforts to raise awareness about mental health and create a support group for employees to reach out to. Prioritising mental health is of utmost importance for any organisation if they want optimum performance from their employees. It is important to have open discussions between employers and employees to ensure confidentiality. Training programs should be conducted for managers and employees to help develop a more compassionate and supportive work environment.
- Work-Life Balance:
Organisations should consider encouraging employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Extreme work pressure, deadlines, and overworking can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and increased stress levels. Allowing employees to take frequent breaks, go on family vacations, and take a break from a hectic work schedule will benefit both the organisation and the employees equally.
- Organising Mental Health Awareness Campaigns:
Companies can arrange mental health awareness campaigns with professionals to help the employees open up about their work-related stress and also educate them on the ways to handle it efficiently. It is the responsibility of the organisations to take proper care of the overall well-being of their employees
In a nutshell, Mental health at work should be a shared responsibility between individuals and organisations. Workplaces need to have a more supportive culture where mental well-being should be made a priority. By encouraging a supportive culture, having a positive approach towards mental health issues, and strategising to promote mental health, organisations can improve the lives of employees and enhance their performance.
