5 things that affect mental health at work

Mental health in the workplace is one of the most discussed topics in September, which is Suicide Prevention Month.

Is it possible to maintain mental health at work?

The answer is yes, as long as the human aspect is prioritized between leaders and employees. But what does that mean?

You've probably heard the famous saying: "You shouldn't mix professional and personal matters. Inside the company, the focus is on work."

However, we, as workers, know that life isn't like that. We are unique beings whose minds divide thoughts about personal, romantic, and family life with professional, financial, and career matters.

If only there were a way to put on a mask and simply pretend that one side or the other isn't important at a given moment of the day!

But that mask doesn't exist yet, which means we need to learn to manage our emotions in order to balance all responsibilities and live well in all aspects of daily life.

Mental health at work is directly related to this point: learning to deal with internal and external problems, better understanding your own reactions, and having self-awareness to face difficulties without becoming overwhelmed by them.

It's much more of an internal process, dealing with oneself, than with external issues.

Data on mental health in the country

In 2020, the Ministry of Health conducted a survey that gathered information about the mental health of Brazilians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A study found an increase in cases of anxiety (86.5% of populations affected), as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (45.5% of populations affected), and a proportion of depression, in its most severe form (16% of populations affected).

Therefore, it is a fact: the pandemic situation directly affected the mental health of Brazilians, who had to deal with a completely uncontrollable issue – the situation of a disease spreading around the world – while enduring all the sudden changes happening in society.

Do you fit into these statistics?

Unfortunately, this is the new reality for Brazilians. And the impact of mental health at work has been extremely strong.

What happens if mental health is neglected?

How do these numbers manifest in our daily lives? Through a reduced willingness to work or even do things we used to enjoy, feelings of loneliness and constant fear, excessive tiredness and lack of motivation, in many cases culminating in physical symptoms.

These and countless other factors contribute to a life with more problems, both in relationships and in work production, and especially with oneself.

After all, mental health is just as important as physical health and cannot be ignored!

5 things that affect mental health at work

At work, it's necessary to cultivate patience and resilience to deal daily with people who are completely different from you. However, in addition to this factor, there are other, even more significant, aggravating factors that affect mental health at work. See below:

Competition among employees

Establishing healthy competition to meet goals and recognize achievements is beneficial. However, when one employee is pitted against another, causing conflict, this competition becomes harmful and significantly hinders well-being and mental health.

Bad environment

Working in an unhealthy environment, without all the necessary infrastructure to perform one's job, also affects the employee's productivity and mental health, since they end up spending the most important hours of their day at work.

At this point, it's also possible to talk about the organizational climate. Working with a cloud of pressure hanging over your head, fearing to express your opinion and constantly apprehensive about making mistakes, is also linked to anxiety crises and other emotional problems.

Abusive leadership

Company leadership needs to be responsible for, among other things, motivating employees and establishing ways to not only improve their productivity, but also their well-being.

When an employee has to work with an abusive leader who yells, doesn't accept opinions or justifications, is always in a bad mood, and likes to lead through fear, their mental health is at great risk.

Low pay and recognition

Low wages are proportionally related to mental health problems at work. Professionals who are willing to work but, due to low pay, are unable to achieve their goals, are at risk of developing emotional problems.

Like that employee who is always doing their best, and never receives any kind of recognition for their work.

How to improve mental health in the workplace.

No job is perfect, and that's perfectly normal. After all, this environment is made up of people who are prone to making mistakes.

However, it is necessary to establish measures to ensure that the mental health of each employee is respected and remains intact. This can be done through awareness lectures, greater flexibility in working hours, recognition policies, and pre-established metrics to improve the work environment.

On the other hand, each employee needs to set limits for themselves and understand how far they can or cannot tolerate certain attitudes.