Mental Health and the Workplace

It is of paramount importance for companies to re-evaluate their stance on mental health.

A company can only be as good as the people who constitute it otherwise alone, there is no company.

Are you taking care of your employees’ mental wellness or do you consider them as robots who should just work and deliver company goals without taking care of their emotional being?

Some symptoms that an employee may be having mental health problems

• Always late for work
• Avoiding colleagues
• Carrying work problems home
• Making rash impulsive decisions
• Finding it difficult to concentrate at work
• Finding it difficult to make decisions

A company with employees in good mental health creates a more productive and collaborative environment. Mental illness impacts one’s day-to-day activities.

Across every industry, field, and background, employers have an incredible opportunity to enhance the quality of life of employees and their families by addressing mental health through their benefits, programs, policies, and workplace culture.

Some of the ways that may help employers gain insight into key areas at the intersection of mental health and the workplace are listed below. You can identify ways you can advance mental health at your company.

What is the solution?

1. Employee Assistance Programs

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) provide a range of different assessments and services for addressing personal problems and concerns that interfere with employees’ well-being and work performance.

2. Improving Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Care
3. Knowing the warning signs

Knowledge is power. The more companies know about the mental health disorders or mental health challenges their employees struggle with, the more they can come up with better ways to manage them.

Mental illnesses such as social anxiety can be managed by not exposing the employee to environments that numb them or expose them. Those with adjustment disorders can be helped by a professional to be able to adjust to changes that may be taking place within the company. Those with neurocognitive disorders can also be helped by being allocated tasks that they will be able to handle.

It is a very powerful tool for companies to have a mental health professional on-site who can help with the mental health needs of their employees.

The more we know about the warning signs of common mental health conditions in the workplace, the more proactive we can be in supporting the company and its employees.

Some examples of mental health problems that may affect employees include but not limited to;

Workplace Bullying

Bullying used to be considered an issue mostly impacting children but that’s no longer true. More and more adults report experiencing mistreatment and hostility at work, turning into a costly problem for employers. The potential for violence is present in every workforce.

Alcohol Use Disorders

Excessive alcohol consumption costs companies. Furthermore, the majority of adults who binge drink or drink heavily are either employed or are dependents of someone employed.

Bipolar Disorder

A person with bipolar can experience extreme shifts in mood, sleep, energy, and ability to function. While these extremes can significantly impact productivity, with access to care, employees can perform well at work and in life.

Workplace stress and depression

For most people, work can be both challenging and demanding. Meeting challenges can promote growth and increase resiliency for employees and organizations. However, demands and challenges may also result in high stress and/ depression which cost employers a lot of money per year in lost productive time. Fortunately, treatment has the potential to be highly effective.

Pulling away from others/loneliness

As human beings we have an innate need to be connected to others, to belong. Loneliness is a real concern if not addressed because it can impact teamwork, morale, productivity, and an employee’s health.

Postpartum depression and Anxiety

Usually, when women come back from maternity leave they face huge workloads waiting for them and if not that, everybody is excited and passing them huge congratulations messages but nobody ever cares to really find out how they are coping with the effects of giving birth.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

After experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event such as a company robbery, a serious accident, or another disaster, employees need help to deal with the effects that the trauma has had on them. Otherwise, it will affect their performance at work.

Psychological Interventions are needed in companies for the following reasons but not limited to

1. They help in the implementation of change. Counseling can help through change implementation such as employment, retrenchment, and restructuring.
2. A strong workforce needs it. As employers address workplace mental health, they also build a resilient workforce resulting in greater job satisfaction, organizational commitment, more employee engagement, and increased productivity.
3. Saving lives. The burden of suicide is carried by the working-age population but most workplaces are relatively unprepared to help employees who are struggling with suicidal thoughts or to assist colleagues following the death of a co-worker or colleague.

In conclusion

Psychological disorders can cause disruptions in daily functioning, relationships, work, school, and other important domains. With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, however, people can find relief from their symptoms and discover ways to cope effectively. Therefore companies should prioritize their employees’ mental well-being.

Get in touch with Psyche and Beyond for your workplace mental health needs.

Website: https://psycheandbeyond.org/ 

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/psycheandbeyond/

Whatsapp: +2761 853 0124

Email: psycheandbeyond@gmail.com / info@psycheandbeyond.org

You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, and Tiktok for more mental health tips.