October 20, 2024
Writer: Kevin Miko Buac
Graphics: Jia Moral, Krystle Mae Labio
When we think of work it can be either one of two perspectives: we work to live or we live to work. This comes as no surprise as we spend most of our time at work; especially in today’s fast paced working environment filled with constant deadlines, meetings, and other deliverables. This being said, mental health in our workplaces can be overlooked yet be important because of its essential role in employee well-being and organizational success. The aforementioned pressures if left unchecked can potentially take a toll on one’s mental health leading to anxiety, burnout, disengagement, and other mental health conditions (1). Thus the need to champion mental health in our workplaces for it directly impacts the welfare of employees and overall organizational culture.
Mental health in the workplace encompasses a variety of issues ranging from presenteeism and absenteeism to decreased motivation and morale (2). When employees have mental health challenges, their ability to perform their duties at work is also compromised. In addition the financial burden of unaddressed mental health issues can be alarming leading to increased employee turnover rates, higher healthcare expenses, and diminished overall productivity (3). With this comes the need to proactively address these issues in order to create a supportive workplace for employees to thrive.
Employers and upper management play important roles in championing mental health through fostering an organizational culture of openness and psychological safety. The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) devised multiple recommendations to promote mental health in workplaces from the employee to the organizational level (4,5). For managers they can be trained to recognize and respond to signs of psychological distress and provide initial support. Then on an organizational level providing mental health leaves, flexible working arrangements, and access to mental health services are meaningful steps that can be done to contribute to mentally healthy working environment.
Overall, promoting mental health in the workplaces benefits everyone. A mentally healthy workforce is engaged, resilient, and capable. By taking action to invest in employee well-being, workplaces promote a positive and nurturing environment for people to grow. Championing mental health is not just managing mental health crises, it’s also building an environment that prevents the development of these crises in the first place. It’s about creating a workplace that values and supports the well-being of employees, for the benefit of both individuals and the organization.
Session questions:
1.Why do you think it’s important for workplaces to champion mental health?
2.How can workplaces promote a more open environment for mental health?
3.What are actionable steps that employers, managers, and workplaces take to champion mental health?
References:
- Oliveira, C. de, Saka, M., Bone, L., & Jacobs, R. (2022). The Role of Mental Health on Workplace Productivity: A Critical Review of the Literature. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-022-00761-w
- Burton, W. N., Schultz, A. B., Chen, C., & Edington, D. W. (2008). The association of worker productivity and mental health: a review of the literature. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 1(2), 78–94. https://doi.org/10.1108/17538350810893883
- Rajgopal, T. (2010). Mental well-being at the workplace. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 14(3), 63. NCBI. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5278.75691
- World Health Organization. (2022). Guidelines on mental health at work. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240053052
- International Labour Organization & World Health Organization. (2022). Mental health at work. International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/publications/mental-health-work
