Importance of Mental Health in the Workplace

Physical, mental, and social well-being are essential components of overall health. Specifically, mental health and human functioning are the left and right sides of the same equation. That is why the importance of mental health surpasses everything. Accordingly, mental health is a state of well-being in which a person can successfully cope with everyday stressors, work positively and productively with them, and reach their full potential.

Because of that, mental health in the workplace is at the forefront in today’s world. Organizations, especially those looking to hire high-performing employees, are motivated to prioritize employee mental health.

Employees are pivotal in achieving success at work. The importance of their mental health cannot overlook in pursuing success. The mental strength of employees is beneficial for both themselves and the company. Therefore, it is imperative to discuss mental health in the workplace.

Workplace factors that adversely affect mental health
Many people understanding of mental health at work is now changing. Given how widespread poor mental health is in the workplace, it is worth looking at the underlying factors that contribute to it.

• Workplaces should be enriched by health and safety policies. Workplaces with poor health and safety policies can lead to reduced employee mental health, loss of staff, reduced profitability, and objections to the organization from external sources.
• A good manager-employee relationship cannot build in the absence of fascinating communication and management practices. It causes relationship stress, poor mental health, and increases anxiety in the workplace.
• Moreover, when performance pressure increases, employee mental health becomes poor. Striving to meet the highest employment expectations puts unnecessary pressure on employees. It leads to increased workload and working hours, which also leads to additional stress and emotional exhaustion.

The above factors are a few that adversely affect mental health.

Failure to maintain vital mental health among employees directly affects their work. It can happen in several ways.

• When there are mental health issues at work, it makes it difficult to regulate our thoughts and emotions. That can reduce career performance since it challenges the skills that foster creativity and resilience.
• The gloomy mental health of employees can also impair communication between colleagues and create contentious situations. It may appear to speak in an aggressive tone, be a poor listener, or have a negative attitude.
• Poor mental health, in particular, can lead to poor decision-making. It can lead to skipping meetings, showing up late, reneging on commitments, or not following company policies.

Therefore, without many definitions, the above few points make it clear that supporting mental health in the workplace is no longer a nice-to-have but a necessity.

How to promote mental health in the workplace?
Creating active options to promote vital mental health at work daily is essential for employees to thrive in their job roles. Both employers and employees should contribute to this process since it is interrelated.

Service support programs that look into the problems and needs of employees and give them relevant advice can contribute directly to this. With understanding and creativity, companies can provide the best mental health programs for employees. It is also necessary to design a workplace with facilities for employees to relax. And from the employee side, they should always share their up and down. Avoiding social isolation and improving relationships among colleagues is very important to build vital mental health in each employee.

Accordingly, positive mental health at work helps employees adapt to roles and responsibilities. It allows employees to grow, manage stress, and increase resilience. Ultimately, vital mental health enables employees to reach their highest potential while dragging on the company to the verge of success.

Written by: Gimhani Raigama