Jul 4, 2023
Every aspect of our lives is impacted by mental health, particularly work performance. A corporation can gauge its performance by meeting productivity targets, making money, and finishing tasks on schedule. In order to achieve these success metrics, employees are essential, and the value of their mental health cannot be understated in the success drive. Employees benefit from having a healthy mental state both at work and in all other facets of their lives, which is advantageous for a business.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) report, the present global employment rate is over 50%, yet 15% of working-age persons have a mental illness. Without adequate care and proper guidance from the right mental health therapist, mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety can impact a person's sense of self-worth and identity at work, ability to perform productively, absenteeism, and ease of retaining or obtaining employment.
This blog will cover workplace mental health difficulties, how to handle them, and how therapy may help develop interpersonal skills.
The Value of Mental Health in the Workplace
An organization's capacity to succeed and endure depends on the overall well-being of its workforce. A person with good mental health is more resilient to the difficulties that frequently accompany employment, such as life's stresses, complications, and setbacks. A person can move with agility and continue to be productive if they are fortified against the unfavorable feelings and anxieties that come along with challenging circumstances.
Higher levels of creativity, as well as a stronger sense of worth and satisfaction, can be attributed to a healthy state of mind and even it can calm anxiety. In order to foster excellent performance and solid company culture, these qualities are highly appreciated.
Ways to improve mental health at the Workplace
Workplace policies that are encouraging and supportive can improve staff morale, physical and mental health, and your bottom line. The five factors that are crucial to safeguarding and enhancing employees' mental health are highly supported by applied psychological research in workplace settings.
Empower Managers to Improve Employees’ Well-being and Health
The organization's leadership must be on board to develop a mentally healthy culture. The implementation and maintenance of policies and procedures as well as the creation of an environment that is generally supportive depend heavily on managers and supervisors who interact closely with employees.
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According to ScienceDirect research, manager and supervisor training improves the mental well-being of employees. Creating a friendly and secure workplace helps reduce workplace stress while fostering a culture of trust between management and workers.
Expand the Range of Work Opportunities Available to Employees
According to the APA's 2021 Work and Well-being Survey, 34% of workers feel that having flexible hours would be beneficial to their mental health, It is possible to improve mental health at the workplace by ensuring that the principles of flexibility and support for the successful use of such flexibility are permeated throughout the work environment.
Working remotely or in hybrid types of employment can give employees more flexibility, eliminate location prejudice, and create more collaboration opportunities among staff members of all ranks. However, virtual and hybrid employment might not be the best option for everyone. A virtual or hybrid approach may be valuable depending on an employee's job, personality, present circumstances, and work style.
Re-examine Employee Mental Health in the Context of Health Insurance Policies
Fundamental approaches for promoting employee mental health include offering a variety of policies, tools, and management training that encourage a positive and adaptable workplace culture. According to APA’s survey Work and Well-Being, 87% of workers believe that specific steps taken by their employer would improve their mental health.
Reduced workplace productivity is correlated with mental health issues. However, even with the best preventive measures, mental health issues may still occur, and staff members will want support. For this reason, comprehensive health insurance benefits that cover mental health treatments are crucial.
Pay Attention to the Needs and Feedback of Employees
Employee engagement and commitment to the company are increased by using tools like town hall suggestion boxes, anonymous surveys, transparently sharing the results, creating a plan to address one or more of the issues identified, and taking action.
Social media, video communications, and all-hands gatherings can all be useful channels for expressing encouragement and compassion. According to 48% of workers, stress at work is a result of not being involved in decision-making (APA, October 2021).
Examine the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Policies
To promote a mentally healthy workplace and support employees' mental health, providing an inclusive and equitable work environment is essential. Stress is strongly correlated with experiences of interpersonal and organizational injustice and discrimination.
According to research, businesses with diverse management are likely to be up to $1,590 more productive per employee annually. Employees with various abilities or socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to make significant contributions at work if they believe they have the same opportunity to job promotions and other associated incentives.
Employers' Assistance for Employees' Mental Health
Through programs to improve the physical and mental health of employees, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and handwritten thank-you notes for a job well done or service during hard times, employers can help their employees to relieve from stress about their mental health and their financial future.
Factors Affecting Workplace Mental Health
According to a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 57 percent of workers had moderate depression. Not just the employees, but the entire firm will be impacted by this problem. The following elements have an impact on an employee's mental health at work, which can result in high staff turnover and hinder a team's ability to succeed.
- Lack of leadership or clarity.
- Lack of assistance for workers
- Too many tedious or unpleasant duties
- Lack of a sense of unity
- Observing partiality among coworkers
- Bullying or shaming
Unsurprisingly, workers could feel dissatisfied, unhappy, and worn out when they are subjected to discrimination, rigid work schedules, unreasonable demands, and a lack of support for them.
Common Mental Health Issues in the Workplace
According to the APA's 2022 Work and Well-being Survey, over two in five (39%) employees claim that their workplace has a negative impact on their mental health.
People spend the majority of their week at work, whether it be at a desk, on the field, or working from home. One must be aware of the prevalent workplace mental health concerns because so much of one's time is spent working with others.
Anxiety and Stress-related Disorders
Anxiety is a significant mental health problem that is frequently encountered at work. Anxiety can result from a variety of employment problems, many of which are greatly influenced by stress. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), general anxiety, and social anxiety are three types of anxiety that are frequently seen at work.
Depression and Mood Disorders
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 7.1% of adults in the United States, or 17.3 million adults, have a serious depressive disorder. Challenges at home, anxiety, and feeling incapable or irrelevant, among other factors, can lead to depression.
Substance Abuse and Addiction
Substances are frequently an easy way out for workers who are under a lot of stress, feel worthless or hopeless at work, or are dealing with any other problematic work-related issue. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 9.5 percent of working people had a substance use disorder.
Effects of Employees’ Poor Mental Health at the Workplace
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), depression impairs cognitive function by 35% and interferes with a person's ability to do physical job responsibilities 20% of the time. Therefore, everyone advantages when a manager or supervisor regularly discusses the significance of mental health in the workplace.
Poor relationships with managers or superiors: Constant stress at work will cause relationships to become strained. Also, a worker who is overworked runs the risk of falling short of expectations.
Workplace mistakes and poor decision-making: To make wise decisions, one must be able to concentrate on the current situation and consider all of the options. A worker struggling with mental health issues may be more prone to getting sidetracked.
Declining company revenue: Any business's revenue is the sum total of all of its efforts. Firm workplace productivity is fueled by strong employee mental health.
Damaged reputation and negative brand associations: The job done by employees give the company a face and a reputation. Employers who ignore the demands of their employees' mental health run the risk of having their business image linked with negativity and callousness.
Lost productivity and increased expense: This factor may contribute to lost productivity, absenteeism, the need to hire and train new staff owing to high turnover, and even increased health insurance expenses. These expenses can build up, even for tiny enterprises.
Impacts of Good Mental Health at Workplace
The American Psychological Association states that the U.S. workforce currently numbers more than 160 million individuals, and the typical full-time employee spends over half of their waking hours at work. It requires money, time, and effort to develop policies and procedures that promote the mental health and well-being of all employees. However, research by the APA demonstrates that it is frequently much more expensive to neglect employees' psychological well-being.
Increased productivity can be achieved by fostering a more energetic, encouraging workplace with healthier, happier workers. Addressing the numerous ways that a workplace might affect an employee's health is a worthy investment on the part of the business.
A proactive approach might identify minor issues before they grow into bigger ones. Taking a step towards mental health with the aid of therapy is another method to demonstrate to employees that you value them as people. It is an investment in the general performance of the workforce.
How Therapy Can Improve Employee Mental Health
When discussing therapy and employee mental health, it will be beneficial for someone who is having a breakdown or has a severe mental illness. Or someone who is attempting to manage their work-related anxiety, sleep problems, or even their journey to retirement.
Providing a safe and confidential space for employees to discuss their concerns
The fundamental goal of therapy is to provide a secure environment in which we may discuss our experiences and feelings in order to better understand our thoughts and emotions. In addition to lessening the symptoms of mental health issues and helping them create methods that they can use in both their personal and professional life, this makes them feel emotionally stronger and more resilient.
Developing coping mechanisms and strategies to manage symptoms
A therapist can offer insight or perspective on thoughts, feelings, and experiences as well as on particular mental health symptoms like symptoms of anxiety or depression. They can also share coping mechanisms to assist the patient in stopping destructive thought patterns as well as harmful behaviors.
Improving communication and interpersonal skills
Individuals who struggle with emotional regulation can benefit from therapies like dialectical behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and motivational interviewing therapy by exploring their motivations and values, boosting their self-awareness and self-efficacy, and addressing any hesitation toward change.
Consulting with a therapist or counselor can be helpful in addressing ideas, actions, symptoms, pressures, objectives, past events, and other issues that can support recovery. It might be difficult to discuss personal struggles with a therapist, but doing so can be helpful in coming to terms with problems in life. Additionally, it might provide a sense of being truly heard, understood, and supported.
Final Thoughts
Teams with strong mental health at work are more equipped to adjust as roles and responsibilities shift. When employees have good mental health at work, their resilience is strengthened, stress is better managed, and they perform better at their jobs. Employees are more capable of being present at work, happier, healthier, and more engaged when mental health is supported in the workplace.
At LifeBulb, we can help you take care of your mental health and emotionally empower you to overcome your obstacles and live your best life. This will help you manage the work-life balance and other stressors that come with working.
