In today’s world, there is a lot of talk about mental health and wellness. A searchlight has been put in ensuring more awareness in this area especially for teens and young adults in view of the spate of suicides we now hear about on a daily basis.
However, not much has been said about mental health for workers/employees. Many of us have heard of Monday blues and how people either commit suicide on Mondays or kill people on Mondays. These actions are borne out of the issues that transpires at work either caused by issues surrounding them personally or caused by happenings in the workplace environment in which they work.
According to EW Group “Mental health is something we all possess. When it is good, we have a sense of purpose and direction and feel that we can cope with whatever life (and work) throws at us. But just as our physical health fluctuates, so too our mental health goes through ups and downs. An inclusive workplace is one where people feel able to bring their whole selves to work, and mental health has a critical part to play.
We all have tough times when we feel low, stressed or frightened. Usually, those feelings pass, but sometimes they develop into anxiety or depression. And some people have more complex, long-term mental health conditions which can affect our ability to engage and perform at work at a consistently high level.
Diagnosis is not always a predictor of an individual’s experience either, so as managers and colleagues it is important never to jump to conclusions on what form of mental health an individual is confronting.
Workplace wellbeing, then, refers to the business goal of being watchful of, and then improving on, the collective mental health of your workplace, so that everyone feels supported and included, particularly in the more difficult times.
According to the mental health charity Mind, at any one time, at least one in six workers are experiencing common mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. Poor mental health is costing organisations a lot of money every year.
Good mental health enables us to thrive. As individuals we understand this and now business leaders, too, are increasingly acknowledging the importance of wellbeing in the workplace.
Research studies provide strong evidence that companies with high levels of mental health awareness are more successful. According to research by University of Warwick, addressing wellbeing at work increases productivity by up to 12%. And, as reported in the UK government’s Stevenson-Farmer Review of Mental Health and Employers in 2017, businesses that invest in mental health interventions report an average of £4.20 return for each pound spent. We do not have statistics to back up our own situation in Nigeria. But, it is evident that many employees are going through severe mental health issues because of the poor productivity employers are experiencing, the brain drain and the economic woes we are all experiencing as a nation.
According to a 2017 Deloitte study evidenced approaches across Germany, Canada, Australia, France, Belgium and Sweden which are empowering employers to implement interventions.
“As always prevention is better than cure”, says Ruth Cooper-Dickson. “We know that the average seven-day absence from works costs organisations plenty and that 300,000 people leave their jobs every year due to serious mental health problems. Alongside the human toll is a cost to employers – the recruitment of a new team member costs is exorbitant – so it is not so much whether your business can afford a mental health strategy, but more that it cannot afford not to have one.”
Millions of working days a year are lost to mental health but a disproportionately high percentage of workers report feeling too scared or embarrassed to admit taking time out for mental health reasons.
“It is crucial that businesses are open and transparent about mental health, and that this starts at the top”, says Vix Anderton, EW Group’s course leader for Workplace Wellbeing for Managers.
“Leaders and managers have to lead by example in approaching difficult conversations with compassion and openness. Simple things like leaving the office on time and taking a lunch break can send a powerful message to your staff about the importance of their wellbeing. Providing training on mental health awareness will make your people feel more confident around the subject and highlight the policies and mechanisms you have in place to support them.”
If you’re a manager at work, here are some common signs that can surface in colleagues who are struggling with their mental health:
• They may be making more mistakes than normal or having trouble with decision-making and concentration.
• They may become more irritable and sensitive to criticism.
• They may become increasingly absent or alternatively start work excessively, staying late and bypassing lunch breaks.
• They may exhibit physical symptoms, such as being constantly tired or suffering from a cold that won’t go away.
• They may take less care with their appearance or show signs of drinking alcohol to help them switch off in the evenings’.
Let us be our brother’s keepers even in the workplace. People spend more time around work issues than they spend with their families. Organisations should recognize the responsibility to have towards their staff in ensuring that they care about their mental wellness. There improved productivity will be your thank you.
