Mental Health in the Workplace

It’s great to see the growing awareness of the impact mental health has on individuals, organisations and society. 

Within the workplace many organisations now provide staff with access to employee assistance services.  Some also have dedicated mental health first aiders.  Hybrid working has enabled many of us to enjoy a work/life balance that, pre-pandemic, we never thought possible.  

This is all great groundwork; but…is it enough?

Mental health in the workplace can be affected by all sorts of factors: lack of flexibility; heavy workload; poor management, to name but a few.  

However, one factor of equal significance is the environmental one.  The detrimental impact on morale, self-worth and job satisfaction that can occur when employers repeatedly fail to deal with under-performing staff, overlook the conduct of toxic individuals or are seemingly reluctant to implement absence management procedures.  All of this can result in more conscientious staff wondering why they bother…leaving them feeling under-valued, resentful and unhappy.

“Quietquitting” may be the current buzzword, but employee disengagement is nothing new.  It starts when employees feel detached from management and powerless to change their environment.  Enthusiasm is replaced with apathy, and productivity with lethargy. 

It must not be underestimated how important careful and proactive management of workplace issues can be in protecting the mental (and physical) health of workers.  If mishandled, the toxicity from these situations spreads like wildfire until the workplace soon becomes a desolate place…

Need help and advice managing workplace issues…or mental health awareness training…get in touch, we can provide guidance, advice, training...