Every workplace comes with its own share of stress and struggles which can affect your mental well-being. As an employee or employer, the pressure of work demands can cause you or your employees to feel stressed, anxious and even experience burnout.
So, in this article, our focus shall be on how you can prioritize mental health at your workplace.
World Mental Health Day: Mental Health at Work
Today is the World Mental Health day and the theme of this year is, “It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace.”
This theme is aimed at drawing attention to how work can have a significant impact on the mental well-being of employees and employers.
Many of us spend more time on work than we spend in our homes or other places. It is therefore very important to know how we can work in a way that does not impact or affect our mental health.
Also, According to WHO, one in 4 individuals will experience mental issues at a point in their lives. This means any of your employees can face mental health issues ranging from mild issues like anxiety to more serious mental health challenges like depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, etc., at any time.
Examples of situations that might impact your mental health at work includes:
- Unhealthy competitions/rivalry.
- Poor working conditions.
- Discrimination and marginalization at work based on color, class, gender, physical appearance, etc.
- Sexual harassment.
- Toxic work environments.
- Inflexible work hours.
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community- WHO
What are the Effects of not Prioritizing Your Mental Health at Work?
Mental Health is a very important conversation that must be valued at work. Refusing to prioritize your mental health or your employees’ can have negative effects on their work, health, etc. Some of them include:
Reduced Work Performance
A toxic workplace where your mental health is not valued can be very discouraging and affect your work performance and results.
Frustration and Burnout
Working continuously without taking breaks and prioritizing your mental health can lead to frustration and burnout.
Breakdown of Relationships and Families
When your mental health is not valued in your workplace, the frustrations and stress from your work can spill over to your family and loved ones
Presenteeism and Resignation
You might find it difficult to cope in a toxic work environment where your mental health is not valued. This can cause you to quit or exhibit signs of presenteeism i.e., not working at your best.
Health Problems
A workplace where your mental health is not valued can also affect your physical well-being. Health problems like high blood pressure are one of results of being in work environment where mental well-being is not a priority.
64% of Nigerian employees are at risk of burnout – The Guardian
4 Things that Happens When You Prioritize Your Mental Health at Work
- Increased productivity: When you are treated well and your mental health is valued, you work more efficiently.
- More Job Satisfaction: A workplace culture where mental health is prioritized creates employees and employers who genuinely want the company to grow and succeed.
- Attract Top Talents: Top talents want to work in an organization where their mental health is valued. if you prioritize mental health at your work as an employer, you attract qualified and talented individuals.
- Better Health: Your physical health benefits when you are in a good condition mentally. Health issues like hypertension, stroke etc., reduces significantly.
Working too much could lead to high blood pressure- American Heart Association News
How Can You Take Care of Your Mental Health as an Employee?
- Take regular breaks: You are not prioritizing your mental health when you are constantly working without breaks. Working late hours and skipping rest would only have terrible effects in your health.
Therefore, you must learn to take breaks constantly. You can stop or try to reduce your work during weekends. Even at work, you can take breaks like walking to buy your lunch, talking to your co-worker, standing up from your work station, etc.
- Set boundaries between work and your personal life: This is very important. There is a time to work and a time to rest. Don’t bring work in when you’re supposed to be connecting with your family.
During weekends or leave, hang out with your loved ones. Don’t work all the time especially outside your work hours.
- Ask for help: One thing that usually causes stress at work is when you try to do everything alone especially when it is beyond you. If there is a task that is taking all of your time and you can’t handle it well, ask for help.
Talk to your boss and co-workers. Don’t keep it in.
- Talk about your feelings and struggles at work: If you’re going through something at work like bullying, harassment, etc., speak up. Tell your family, boss co-workers etc.
If you feel stressed or unable to handle the pressures from your work, speak to someone. Better still, go to a therapist. You are not weak when you decide to ask for help or talk about your feelings and challenges.
- Take good care of yourself: This is something your employers cannot do for you. You need to make time for yourself. Practice self-care like healthy eating, regular exercise, socializing, etc.
Take time for yourself. Have a life outside work.
How can Employers Prioritize the Mental Health of their Employees?
To create a workplace where mental health is valued, employers have a significant role to play. Some of them are:
- Provide wellness plans and programs targeted towards mental health: As an employer, you can provide mental health services and resources to your employees. Examples of such mental health services includes subsidized therapy sessions, group reflections, meditation, etc.
- Organize regular mental health seminars and trainings: You should try to organize regular programs and seminars for your employees to encourage and teach them how to handle work pressures without getting burnout.
We can help you with this. We provide mental health trainings to organizations that teach both employees and employers better ways to prioritize their mental health.
- Create an open and non-toxic work environment: This can only be done when employers take the first step. Set an example where your employees can easily talk to you about their worries and problems. This openness will spread towards the grassroots level at your work.
To create a non-toxic environment, ensure that unhealthy competitions, backbiting, bullying etc., are dealt with severely to set an example to others.
- Create policies that frown at discrimination and harassment: To have a workplace atmosphere where discrimination and harassment are frowned out, it starts from you. The way company leaders act determines how everyone else will act.
Create and publicize strict policies with serious punishments for anyone who discriminates or harasses their co-workers.
- Create a culture of recognition and appreciation in your company: Always recognize and appreciate the efforts of the people who work for you and with you.
You can organize events like employee appreciation week and give awards and gifts. To get more ideas, you can check out some of our employees wellness products at Mycarebuddy.
- Encourage work-life balance: To do this, give regular breaks to your employees to help them relax and connect with their family. Constant working overtime will lead to stress and burnout in the long run.
Take care of your employees and they will take care of your business- Richard Branson
Learn How to take Care of your Mental Health in your Workplace
To celebrate the World Mental Health day, Mycarebuddy would be hosting a mental health session where you can learn how to prioritize mental health at work either as an employer or employee.
It holds at 5pm on our telegram community and you can join us here
Conclusion
Choosing to take care of your mental health at your work will increase your performance and create a thriving workplace.
To learn more about prioritizing your mental health not at just at work but in your personal life, join our mental health community today.