Basic Understanding of mental health in a workspace

The mental well-being of the average employee is significantly important in an organization because it greatly contributes to the effort input for efficiency and productivity. The sanity of employees has a significant impact on the work input which determines the productivity of working personnel in a business organization. This article discusses why mental health is essential for employees, the challenges they regularly face, and what business owners can implement to create a healthy and conducive workspace. 

Mental health is the state of the well-being of an individual, which relates to how they cope with life stress; it is evident in their emotional expressions, even down to how they feel, think, and relate to their environment; therefore, the psychological, emotional, and social health of an individual is what contributes to his mental health.

According to various studies, the productivity of employees is relative to the quality of their mental well-being. Employees who battle with depression and other symptoms of anxiety are prone to suffer from the dilemma of setting their focus straight to accomplish the task at hand.

Factors contributing to low mental health at work

Here are some factors that contribute to low mental well-being in a workspace.

Employment Security

The fear of job loss is a prevalent challenge among employees. This affects productivity, leading to anxiety and a decline in performance. Most employees want to feel secure in their jobs; so, their investment of time and energy in advancing the organization's goals is heavily influenced by their sense of job security. When an employee experiences insecurity, it can lead to mental health issues, leading to depression, low self-esteem, and various symptoms of anxiety.

Employers should implement a culture of assuring employees about their job security. This is a way to boost the morale of company workers, encouraging them to contribute positively to the organization.

Excessive Workload

An unrealistic workload not only limits efficiency; but also prolongs the time it takes to complete given tasks. It contributes to mental stress and physical fatigue which limits proficiency. When employees are overwhelmed, they often lose focus and may become less active in their work, which can even lead to napping during work hours. This ultimately hinders their ability to manage daily responsibilities. To alleviate the burdens associated with excessive workloads, employers should consider implementing a division of labor system. This sometimes leads to unhealthy extended working hours which is not good for both the employer and the employee. It’s of a surety that overtime in a workspace may be inevitable, but shouldn’t be the norm of the day in order to sustain the focus, vibrancy and commitment of working staff.

Toxic Workspace

A Toxic workspace is a work environment where abuse, disrespect, unhealthy behaviour and negative energy is a common place and this atmosphere can easily impact the mental health of employees. Study has shown that this furthermore causes a resistance in the free flow of communication as it should be in a healthy workspace. Poor communication could be a sign of a toxic environment. Companies should aim to develop a strong attitude toward human relations. employers should promote and actively participate in training sessions, publicly recognizing employees who exemplify strong interpersonal skills. 

The transparency of the companies’ policy and decisions helps employees understand the reasoning behind the company’s decision, making them more likely to trust leadership and feel valued, and as a result the commitment of the working staff is likely to be enhanced.

Imbalance Worklife

Imbalance Worklife is the state of instability of managing your professional life (work, career) and your personal life (family, hobbies, leisure, etc.). This manifests often when one is encumbered with excessive loads of work which is to be accomplished within an unrealistic stipulated time. 

Employees tend to experience mental stress and burnout when they are unable to experience the liberty and fulfillment that is derived from working at an organization where the role of staff and duration of working hours is clearly defined.

It’s noteworthy that employees result to loss of interest in their jobs simply because they have been unable to strike a balance between their jobs and personal life; therefore, companies should ensure that they employ enough staff sufficient for the task to mitigate the challenges of Imbalance Work Life that employees are encumbered with.

It’s worthy noting that everyone’s mental health challenges are idiosyncratic; therefore, if you are experiencing mental health issues, please see a mental health professional or a doctor; this is because what contributes to low mental health at work can vary from person to person.

Unrecognition

Employees' emotional needs are met and their sense of job satisfaction is increased when they feel respected and appreciated for their labor input in the workplace. The moment employees begin to think that their opinions and contributions are no longer needed in a workspace, their zeal for the work drops, preventing the company from reaching its set goal. When gestures like "thank you" or “well done” are absent, employees feel undervalued.

Employees may begin to feel unrecognized when they see fellow colleagues receive preferential treatment like promotions, special tasks, and bonuses that elude them; by this, resentment may subtly be cultivated, creating negative energy among working staff.

Employers should build strong relationships to foster healthy communication in their organization. This helps to create a feedback system that informs company owners about areas they need to pay attention to for quality service delivery; hence, the need to pay listening ears to workers. The quality of service delivery and satisfaction in an organization is influenced through a feedback system.