Work plays a vital role in people’s overall welfare. Aside from the financial benefits, your job can add purpose and meaning to your life. It can also give you a sense of identity and become an important social outlet. However, working in a negative environment can have a negative effect on your mental health. And it goes both ways – just as your mental health can affect your work, your work can affect your mental health and productivity. Learn more about the importance of maintaining good mental health in the workplace and how it’s related to the company’s overall success.
The Link Between Mental Health and The Workplace
Good mental health and a healthy working environment often go hand in hand. Work is where we spend most of our time, make new friends, and earn a living. A fulfilling job can be stimulating and beneficial for your mental health and wellbeing.
Whilst we can all have bad days at work sometimes, if they persist for a more extended period, it can be a warning sign of something more profound. While the signs of mental health issues are different and unique for every person, it is important to be aware of the changes in how you feel, think and behave at work.
Caring for your mental health at work is not just about dealing with a specific mental health problem. It is about overall wellbeing, building resilience and improving work skills and performance. A healthy working environment promotes a culture of productivity and accountability, increasing personal satisfaction and overall company success.
Signs and Symptoms of Mental Health Challenges at Work
While the signs of mental health problems can vary depending on the person, it’s essential to be aware of changes in behaviour, feelings, thoughts and certain risk factors. Some of the signs that indicate you might be facing a mental health challenge at work include:
- Declining performance at your work
- Having a hard time performing daily duties
- Having a hard time thinking and focusing
- Changes in your sleeping patterns and loss of appetite
- Changes in mood
- Losing interest in activities at work that you previously enjoyed
- Increased sensitivity
- Feeling disconnected from your surroundings
- Unexplained headaches, muscle pain or upset stomach
Impact of Mental Health on Work Performance
Mental health issues can cause people to lose focus and make it difficult to carry out day-to-day work activities. For people with anxiety, for example, even constructive criticism may be taken personally. Whilst mental health challenges may or may not be related to the workplace, they still have a significant impact on a person’s working performance.
Here are several examples of how our mental health affects our quality of work and productivity:
- Poor mental health at work can cause people to doubt their skills and potential, leading to reduced self-confidence and proactiveness in the future.
- Poor social communication at work can lead to isolation and sometimes to creating a barrier between employees, which can negatively impact the overall working atmosphere.
- A fast-paced and dynamic environment can sometimes be challenging for people to adapt to swift changes, which can affect overall productivity and cause stress and anxiety.
- Employees’ poor mental wellbeing is linked to increased absenteeism, which can negatively reflect the company’s workflow and quality of work.
Fortunately, there are effective strategies and approaches to prevent stress and mental health risk at work. Experienced employers know that taking care of the emotional and physical wellbeing of the employees is taking care of the company. For that purpose, many businesses and organisations take specific measures to ensure the employees’ mental welfare and work-life balance.
We spend a major part of our life at our workplace. Some reports show that 9 out of 10 employees reported that workplace stress affected their mental health. This is why addressing mental health needs and remaining mentally healthy in the workforce is essential to all organisations and companies.
To address staff mental health, we need to understand all the factors that contribute to stress in the workplace.
Workload and Job Demands
In situations of a high-demand job, employees feel they need the full ability to make the right decisions about when and how they can do their work. This can be alleviated by creating better job descriptions, monitoring the workload and supporting flexible working hours.
Job Insecurity
When employees feel insecure about their job or future at the company, the risk of developing poor mental health increases by up to 30%. Therefore, a good management strategy is essential to prevent negative employee welfare at the workplace.
Job Satisfaction
Spending hours daily on a thankless job can bring frustration and make you feel unmotivated. To prevent this, employers often reward and acknowledge employees to boost their confidence and show appreciation for the excellent job done.
Work-life Balance
The data shows that employees with a positive work-life balance are happier and more productive. The ability to manage time effectively is essential in preventing burnout. Still, also it has a positive impact on mental health as it allows for all duties to be completed on time without risking missing deadlines and feeling stressed.
Company Culture and Leadership
A company with an unhealthy work culture that doesn’t appreciate and value the wellbeing of the workers can be one of the leading causes of employees developing poor mental health. In negative environments, the wellbeing of employees takes a backseat, and often, employees look for a way out.
Importance of Prioritising Mental Health in the Workplace
Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall wellbeing, and employers need to recognise the impact that employee mental health has on their productivity, performance and success. Research shows that due to poor mental health for employees, the global economy loses $1 trillion each year due to decreased productivity. In addition, up to 70% of workers experience work-related stress.
Prioritising employees’ mental health leads to both professional and personal benefits. Working in a supportive environment where mental health is prioritised shows that employees feel happier and more satisfied with their work and more connected to their colleagues.
Today, we all know that employees with strong mental health can be a powerful way to retain and attract top talent and ensure your business is growing.
Ways to Support Mental Health in the Workplace
Employers have the responsibility to create and develop a supportive work environment that focuses on their employees’ mental health. There are a few ways that employers can do that:
- Promote a healthy work-life balance by encouraging employees to take time off and offer flexible working arrangements
- Create a supportive workplace environment
- Promote open communication and offer help to employers that might have a hard time
- Offer various employee assistance programs and solutions
- Promote mental health
Prioritising employees’ mental health is essential for both personal and professional success. By taking measures to put both physical health and mental health first, employers can create a more productive and healthier workplace for everyone.
Catalyst Care Group is one of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Wellbeing
Catalyst Care Group is focused on prioritising employees’ mental health, and we always strive to treat everyone as a family within our Group. Our company has been recognised as one of the UK’s best Workplaces for Wellbeing which was driven by our employee engagement and the efforts we put into making our company a great workplace for all.
As a brand under the Catalyst Care Group, Olive Recruit is committed to creating a safe, positive and engaging environment for our team members and focuses on mental health awareness so everyone feels valued and appreciated. After all, we are committed to continuing the focus on mental health and eliminating the “taboo” that comes along when discussing mental health and wellbeing.
