Worldwide, organisations are struggling with mental health challenges, with anxiety highlighted as the top mental health issue in the workplace today.
South African organisations and higher education institutions are no exception to this.
Mental health was in focus on World Mental Health Day, observed annually on 10 October, under the theme Workplace Mental Health. It highlighted the importance of addressing mental health and well-being in the workplace.
Deadlines, interpersonal relationships, management of staff, negative characteristics of the workplace, and dealing with work-related issues that arise are considered some of the primary factors leading to work-related mental ill-health.
Transformation – including technological developments, shifts in work, demographical changes, financial instability and demands, and re-skilling and upskilling to adapt to new developments – creates opportunities, but also risk to mental health in the workplace.
The definition of mental health has been described as too broad and, at times, confusing.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is a state of well-being in which individuals realise their abilities, can cope with the everyday stresses of life, can work productively and successfully, and can contribute to their community.
Individual and biological factors play a role in mental health.
It is important to note that having unfavourable experiences and circumstances can increase the risk of experiencing mental ill-health, including work experiences and circumstances.
When there are insufficient systems and resources available to support mental health, the consequences can be detrimental for both the individual and the organisation.
The challenge regarding mental health in the workplace is often misunderstood and not given enough attention.
Several organisations mistakenly believe that mental health is a personal problem and, therefore, does not belong in the workplace. It is crucial for organisations to prioritise mental health in the workplace without delay.
Considering that individuals write their life stories and attach meaning based on how they interpret events, how can work not be a part of their life stories?
Employees interpret work events and daily work life and internalise them to create life stories, just as they interpret their personal experiences.
Mental ill-health is due to a combination of work-related and non-work-related elements interacting to affect the employee personally, and their work.
Besides affecting employees’ personal and work lives, it directly influences the organisation or institution.
Mentally healthy employees are more likely to fulfil their potential, function well, cope with and enjoy work, family and social relationships, and make healthy life choices.
Organisations should, therefore, support workplace mental health by encouraging positive environments that lead to positive memory, as well as encouraging future-minded and future-focused employees. Unfortunately, organisations today still do not know how to deal with mental health in the workplace and also indicate that they have very little to no support given by the organisation or institution.
Organisations and employees can create a healthier future by encouraging mental health in the workplace.
Organisations have a moral and economic obligation to support employees’ mental health; it is, therefore, time to prioritise workplace mental health.
- Carmine Nieman is a lecturer in Industrial Psychology at the University of the Free State (UFS).
