Mental Health and its Importance in Management

The benefits of promoting positive workplace mental health, as well as the existing psychosocial risks linked to work and employment, are widely acknowledged. Most of us will also know from our own experience the important place that work takes in our lives and how it impacts our mental health and well-being for better or worse.

The main psychosocial risks factors in the workplace include heavy or unmanageable workload, unrealistic expectations, role ambiguity, organisational changes, low job satisfaction and personal accomplishment, lack of recognition, poor work-life balance, interpersonal relations and support at work and workplace violence, including harassment and bullying. When one or many of these factors become part of our everyday lives they can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, burn-out, somatic health issues or even, in severe cases that go unaddressed, suicide.

Despite this, there is still poor recognition of the importance of good management for mental health in most workplaces across globe and many employers and employees lack knowledge and awareness on how to create mentally healthy workplaces and how to address and minimise the risks. This is why mental ill health has become one of the leading causes of absenteeism from work and early retirement all over globe. On top of this, getting back to work after a period of mental ill health is often a challenge due to lack of support. This can lead to a negative spiral for mental health and leads to long-term unemployment and exclusion from the labour market.

Work-related stress is the second most reported health problem in the workplace in World. The human and social costs that come with mental ill health are too important to be ignored. Moreover, the costs for employers and society in terms of absence from work and presenteeism (being less productive or effective at work due to mental ill health) are huge.

Our mental health is influenced by different social determinants including factors which are not always related to work, however, there is a lot that can be done in the workplace. Creating mentally healthy workplaces starts with understanding and commitment at a senior level. Fostering mentally health working conditions begins with looking at how the culture of the workplace and work organisation impact on the wellbeing of all employees.

Research has shown that even the simplest mental health promotion programmes are cost-effective in improving the mental health and productivity of workplaces. Managers have a key role to play here in supporting an organisational culture that promotes positive mental health. Having a good manager can help employees to better cope with work-related stress or mental ill health and there are good training programmes available that can equip managers with the skills and confidence they need to support people showing signs of distress.

Early Warning Signs

Not sure if you or someone you know is living with mental health problems? Experiencing one or more of the following feelings or behaviors can be an early warning sign of a problem:

• Eating or sleeping too much or too little
• Pulling away from people and usual activities
• Having low or no energy
• Feeling numb or like nothing matters
• Having unexplained aches and pains
• Feeling helpless or hopeless
• Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
• Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared
• Yelling or fighting with family and friends
• Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
• Having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head
• Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
• Thinking of harming yourself or others
• Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school.

Mental Health and Wellness

• Realize their full potential
• Cope with the stresses of life
• Work productively
• Make meaningful contributions to their communities

Creating a healthy workplace

An important element of achieving a healthy workplace is the development of governmental legislation, strategies and polices as highlighted by the European Union Compass work in this area. A healthy workplace can be described as one where workers and managers actively contribute to the working environment by promoting and protecting the health, safety and well-being of all employees. An academic report from 2014 suggests that interventions should take a 3-pronged approach:

• Protect mental health by reducing work–related risk factors.
• Promote mental health by developing the positive aspects of work and the strengths of employees.
• Address mental health problems regardless of cause.

Building on this, a guide from the World Economic Forum highlights steps organizations can take to create a healthy workplace, including:

• Awareness of the workplace environment and how it can be adapted to promote better mental health for different employees.
• Learning from the motivations of organizational leaders and employees who have taken action.
• Not reinventing wheels by being aware of what other companies who have taken action have done.
• Understanding the opportunities and needs of individual employees, in helping to develop better policies for workplace mental health.
• Awareness of sources of support and where people can find help.

Interventions and good practices that protect and promote mental health in the workplace include:

• Implementation and enforcement of health and safety policies and practices, including identification of distress, harmful use of psychoactive substances and illness and providing resources to manage them.
• Informing staff that support is available.
• Involving employees in decision-making, conveying a feeling of control and participation; organizational practices that support a healthy work-life balance.
• Programmes for career development of employees.
• Recognizing and rewarding the contribution of employees.

Consequences of poor mental health in the workplace:

Productivity and job performance. High performance is mental strength in motion. When we don’t feel good, accessing the behavioral skills that foster creativity and resilience is challenging. Without these skills, we don’t have the psychological resources to perform well at our jobs.

Engagement with one’s work. Poor mental health leads to demotivation and lack of focus. When we have mental health issues, our minds wander or fixate on our problems, making it difficult to regulate our thoughts and emotions.

Physical capability and daily functioning. From social anxiety to a reduction in cognitive performance and working memory, poor mental health takes a major toll on your daily living and physical capability. You feel depleted.

Poor decision-making. Poor mental health can lead to a lack of impulse control, unhealthy thoughts, and poor decision-making. Poor decision-making may lead to missed meetings, showing up late, dropping commitments, or not adhering to company policies.

Communication. It’s difficult to communicate well when we’re emotionally not feeling well. Poor mental health may lead to misinterpreting or over-reacting to colleagues. It may come across as speaking with a passive-aggressive tone, being a poor listener, or having a negative attitude.