Tackling Mental Health issues at Workplace
- drsarojsalelkar
- Oct 10, 2024
- 2 min read
Today as the world celebrates the international mental health day with a theme to prioritize mental health at workplace, let us dwell on how work can affect mental health of a person and how can he cope with the challenges.
Everybody who is employed either in a government setup or private sector faces challenges at work that can affect his mental health and lead to anxiety and stress.
These factors can be
Long work hours or non flexible working hours. This can cause physical and mental exhaustion and lead to stress to the person.
Excessive workload can be a stress factor as the job demands more than the person can handle.
Unclear job description can be stressful as the person may not be well trained or Skilled to do certain jobs. On the other hand his skills may be under utilized thus leading to frustration to the employee
Toxic work culture with authoritative leadership, harassment, abuse, bullying, office politics etc.can make a person anxious and stressful at work
Unsafe work environment and poor working conditions can lead to anxiety and stress for the workers
Ineffective communication and unclear instructions, lack of sharing of ideas and difficulties with the top management etc. Can make an individual anxious.
Lack of career development training,skill upgradation and revision of pay can lead to a feeling of stagnation and frustration for the employees
Lack of work- life balance with no time to spend with friends and families can increase stress levels in an individual.
The Mental health issues can lead to increased absenteeism, decreased productivity and increased cost harming businesses in the long run.
How to deal with mental stress at work
What Employers can do?
Identify stress factors at work. Training of managers to identify stress factors as well as create an open channel of communication between employees and employers will foster better understanding of stress factors and help eliminate them
Schedule frequent breaks for employees working in stressful conditions
Organize supportive meetings regularly to identify stress factors as well as address concerns of people dealing with mental health conditions
Create an enabling environment which is adaptable to change and modification as needed
Address concerns of work life balance among employees.
Earmark times in the day for breaks, mindfulness, deep breathing techniques and meditation to promote mental health
What employees can do?
1.Take breaks when necessary
2. Adequate food, hydration and sleep will keep one rejuvenated and help cope with stress
3. Exercise daily will boost both physical and mental health
4. Meditation and practice of mindfulness along with Pranayama and deep breathing techniques will help lower stress and anxiety.
5. Create healthy boundaries with people who are difficult to manage, take out time for yourself, friends and family
6. Seek professional help if you feel overwhelmed and anxious
Mental health is a serious concern and one needs to address it effectively. Thus be a support system for your friends or family who may be dealing with Mental Health issues.
