Maintaining good mental health at the workplace

The Ministry of Health urges employers to put emphasis on mental health at the workplace.

People may use social media to express their state of mental unrest at the workplace.

Covid-19 has also contributed largely to the loss of jobs which has contributed to high levels of depression.

Organizations need to enact mental health policies to protect the well-being of their employees.

Poor mental health and stress can negatively affect employee's performance, productivity, engagement with one’s work, communication with coworkers, physical capability and daily functioning.

Depression is associated with high rates of unemployment. It also interferes with a person’s ability to complete physical job tasks about 20 per cent of the time and reduces cognitive performance about 35 per cent of the time.

Only 57 per cent of employees who report moderate depression and 40 per cent of those who report severe depression receive treatment to manage the symptoms.

How to improve mental wellness

1. Host workshops that address depression and stress management techniques, like mindfulness, breathing exercises, and meditation, to help employees reduce anxiety and stress and improve focus and motivation.

2. Make mental health self-assessment tools available to all employees.

3. Distribute materials, such as brochures, flyers, and videos, to all employees about the signs and symptoms of poor mental health and opportunities for treatment.

4. Train managers to help them recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and depression in team members and encourage them to seek help from qualified mental health professionals.

5. Offer free or subsidized clinical screenings for depression from a qualified mental health professional, followed by directed feedback and clinical referral when appropriate.

6. Offer health insurance with no or low out-of-pocket costs for depression medications and mental health counselling.

7. Provide free or subsidized lifestyle coaching, counselling, or self-management programs.

8. Create and maintain dedicated, quiet spaces for relaxation activities.

9. Give employees opportunities to participate in decisions about issues that affect job stress.

Looking after mental health as an employee

a. Talk about your feelings

Talking about how you feel shows a sense of control over your thoughts. It’s hard to talk at work. Identify a supervisor colleague who can independently listen to you and give you a neutral opinion on nagging issues affecting you at work.

b. Proper diet

A meal good for your physical health is good for your mind too. A regular meal and a cup of water will help calm nerves down.

c. Keep a social pool

Staying around people will help you ease up on the pressure. Friends and family time helps you build intimate relationships and appreciate the fact that people care about you regardless of whatever you are going through.

d. Get a hobby

Engage in sporting activity at the workplace. During company events and of days. Take a jog in the morning before going to work.

e. Self-acceptance

Everybody has weaknesses. Taking full control over your shortcomings may boost your confidence levels. Work on what you can change and accept what you cannot.

f. Create free time

Some days off, leave helps an employee to create a healthy work-life balance. As your career grows, don’t neglect your life out of office. Focus to build your investments and family time for better performance.