Mental health at work: the guide to achieving balance and well-being

One of the biggest concerns these days is mental health at work. This is because many models have changed so that people can adapt due to the pandemic. So, if you want to learn more about this topic, read this article.

What is mental health at work?

According to the definition of the WHO (World Health Organization), mental health at work is a state of well-being, in which the individual is aware of his/her own abilities, can face the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to his/her community.

Mild cases cause an average loss of four days of work per year, while more severe cases cause around 200 days of work per year.

These are some numbers that deserve the attention of companies so that they can seek continuous solutions to improve their teams.

After all, if the employee is not well, both he and the company lose.

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What is the concept of mental health at work?

THE mental health concept derives from what we spoke about previously and applies to numerous spheres of society.

Because it reflects the individual's need to be well wherever they are, whether working or not.

By repeatedly stating that mental health is closely linked to well-being, specialized institutions seek to deconstruct the culture that we should only pay attention to mental health in more serious cases.

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How to improve workers’ mental health?

Some attitudes allow workers to maintain their quality of life and also avoid problems in performing their work.

Therefore, the most recommended are:

1) Take care of mental health, reducing risk factors that are directly linked to work;

2) Promote mental health in the development of positive aspects of work and based on employees’ skills;

3) Address cases of mental health problems regardless of the cause, providing all necessary support to the individual.

What affects mental health at work?

The most common issues that lead individuals to have problems related to mental health at work are:

1) Inadequate health and safety guidelines;

2) Bad practices in communication and people management;

3) Limitation in participating in decision-making or low control over the work area;

4) Little support for employees;

5) Inflexible working hours;

6) Unclear tasks or organizational objectives that generate distrust and discomfort in the team.

In addition to these risks, there is also a determining factor, which is the harmful use of alcohol and psychoactive drugs during the working day.

The risk may be increased in situations where there is a lack of team cohesion or social support, leading employees into problematic and embarrassing situations.

Still within the “risks” factor, there is also the issue of moral and psychological harassment which, unfortunately, are frequently reported as causes of work-related stress.

These behaviors pose risks to workers’ health and are linked to psychological and physical problems.

Consequently, the health outcomes of this can have costs for employers in terms of reduced productivity and increased staff turnover.

Additionally, there may also be a negative impact on employees’ family and social interactions.

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How important is the mental health of workers?

Several studies show that 491% of Brazilian workers have already developed anxiety attacks resulting from work.

Furthermore, 44% reports that they have also had burnout, a syndrome that characterizes mental and physical exhaustion related to the performance of professional functions, whatever they may be.

Unlike physical conditions, mental health problems are not always visible, because in order to diagnose them, it is necessary to know how to analyze behaviors and the signals transmitted by these people.

It is the responsibility of companies to take care of mental health, so it is necessary to develop tools so that employees can deal, in the best possible way, with adversities like these, so that their teams can be more vigorous and satisfied with their work.

Stress is also an important factor in this regard.

According to a survey carried out by the company Vittude, a digital platform focused on mental health care, 37% of people experience problems with severe stress; 59% suffer from depression and 63% have symptoms of anxiety.

When the numbers are shown, the weight of these statistics may even be interpreted as something not very worrying.

However, it is important to always remember that all of these people have family, friends and, in most cases, a job.

Therefore, the discussion about mental health needs to go beyond the high corporate walls and be part of the conversations that take place within companies.

Helping employees take care of their psychological well-being improves their organizational climate and can optimize integration between teams.

Furthermore, when workers feel more satisfied with their work, they perform their duties in a more engaged manner.

Contrary to what most people may think, therapy is not the only way to help employees get through difficult times.

Among the various precautions that companies must take to more effectively help their employees to thrive in their work and outside the corporate environment, we can highlight the points below:

Leadership training;

Encouragement of exercise;

Access to mental health services, such as psychologists;

Events to debate the topic;

Encouragement of healthy eating.

It is also important to highlight the difference between demotivation and depression, as both can be present in employees' routines, but they are very different from each other.

The first signs of depression can be subtle to the unintentional eye.

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The disease can manifest itself in different degrees of intensity, and the symptoms can be confused with other psychological issues.

A mere lack of motivation may be linked to external factors, such as an unsuitable workplace, abusive demands, lack of a company benefits policy, lack of recognition for the service performed, etc.

Lack of motivation can lead to stress and sadness, but depression is more than that.

A depressed person may experience sudden mood swings, difficulty concentrating, feelings of guilt, changes in appetite, crying spells, among other symptoms.

Of course, there is also the issue of the need for psychological support when a person is depressed.

This is her right and the company must give her all the support she needs to improve her mental health condition.

Therefore, providing support and solidarity is essential.

To complement good practices and conclude our guidance, the tips below will help you to implement good management, thus helping to improve the mental health of employees:

1) Inclusion of healthy projects

Taking care of your diet and including physical exercise in your routine can become unattainable habits for workers.

However, mental health can be influenced by healthy practices and, therefore, it is recommended by several health experts that, even if you start slowly, exercising is very important.

In this way, the organization can start by showing how it is possible to be healthier, offering nutritious foods at mealtimes, encouraging exercise and developing awareness projects.

It can also prevent the development of psychiatric illnesses, as a healthy lifestyle allows employees to increase their productivity, which is highly beneficial from a corporate point of view.

2) Improved communication between the team

Employee turnover influences various sectors of the company and how they operate.

Also, looking at it from another angle, when teams work well together, the bond of trust becomes stronger and, as a result, the result is a pleasant work environment.

Regarding this communication, it is important to emphasize that constant dialogue between employees and the organization's management facilitates the identification of errors, because when a reciprocal relationship is established, employees will respond sincerely to the feedback requested by the company's administrators.

This way, it is easier to adapt to the reality that was exposed by employees.

3) Increased employee participation in decision-making moments.

Still on improving dialogue between employees and administrators, it is important to emphasize that without workers the business does not work (this may be a little obvious, but this information should be mentioned).

Therefore, the voice of this sector must be heard, especially when making decisions that directly affect the working conditions.

When including a policy focused on healthy habits, for example, managers must present this idea and seek the opinion of those who will be directly impacted by it.

Therefore, it may seem like a difficult task to establish policies that promote the mental health of employees, but this attitude is undoubtedly of the utmost importance.

A healthy work environment, in order to function as expected, requires the creation of effective communication between the team and the directors, in which the administrators do not place excessive demands solely on productivity.

4) Flexible schedules

In general, an intense workload is one of the main causes of depression and anxiety in the corporate environment.

In some situations, the routine is exhausting to the point that the employee suffers professional burnout (burnout syndrome).

Therefore, reducing working time helps to improve the performance of professionals, as it will allow them to perform their tasks less tired.

If it is not possible to reduce it, the company can create a way to make working hours more flexible, introducing a satisfactory rest period during working hours.

Conclusion

Given all these arguments, it became more than clear that mental health is something indisputably important and that you, as the person responsible for the teams, need to be aware of everything the company offers as a strategy so that workers are not affected by all the problems mentioned above.

So, if the idea is to always have positive results, the main gear must be very well taken care of, after all, without human capital, there are no functioning organizations.

Finally, if you are reading this and are facing mental health issues, take care of yourself!

Talk to your leader about how it might be possible to resolve this issue, seek medical advice and remember that being well is extremely important!

Your pain, only you will know where it comes from, but it is possible to end it all and have a full life.

Look for activities that make you feel good and relax your mind, and also take time to do things you enjoy. This may seem like a simple thing, but it can make a huge difference to your well-being.

Content Team Theadmin October 27, 2021

Career