Believe it or not, there is a link between mental health and workplace culture as employees spend almost half of their day working in the office. Let’s understand it through an example: if a person comes from a toxic family background as he spends most of the time at home then it will affect mental health likewise an employee spends 7- 8 hours at the workplace. So according to the psychiatrists workplace culture affects mental health to and fro.
It can significantly impact mental health and poor workplace culture can cause mental health problems. Exploring the root-cause can be the only solution for completely eliminating the problem.
Unfortunately, almost 85% of employees face mental health problems as they are draining themselves daily and also facing difficulties in balancing work-life and personal life. Go through the aspects that can affect mental health of employees in order to understand it in detail:
Some negative aspects of workplace culture on mental health
- Toxicity in Environment:
Harassment, Bullying, sexual assault and lack of appreciation in workplace can mark a dent on the mental as well as emotional state. In some cases, it could be even deadly if not treated on time. Think about it, is it right to drain a person emotionally by keeping their feelings neglected and unrecognised.
- Discrimination and inequality:
Let’s understand this with the help of an example which many employees have been experiencing in their careers: There are two employees who are working on the same project but one gets credit for it but on the other hand one gets nothing out of it not even some words of appreciation. It drains them mentally by making them feel they are good for nothing.
- Unrealistic expectations:
Don’t expect unrealistic expectations from the employees as they are also human beings not a machine which cannot be tired. If they work continuously just to meet deadlines then they will be drained mentally because rest is important for human beings. It will be their exploitation and their employee rights also against work ethics.
- Lack of support:
The employees need support from their employers to understand or meet their requirements as per the job description. The support will nurture them to become better employees and also concerned about the company in which they work by feeling homely and comfortable. Not getting enough support from their employers can lead to disengagement and frustration which further emerges as anxiety attacks.
Some positive key points to consider for assuring mental health
- Mental Satisfaction:
Before moving forward with this point, ask yourself first will you be able to work in an environment where you don’t feel mentally satisfied or stable. When employees feel satisfied or safe being at the workplace their mental health and productivity improve automatically without any extra effort.
- Health Support Culture:
Good health care is equal to happy and healthy employees as there will be no harmful health conditions or diseases which can decrease the attention of employees. Taking good care of overall well being can significantly increase productivity and effectiveness in the workplace. A lot of studies have shown the proof of this.
- Constant learning:
Learning continuously can keep them busy in their knowledge base. Hence, they will have no time to overthink any issue related to their mental state. Educate them regarding the mental health resources and culture driven changes so that they become aware of it and if they face any consequences then they can have the right knowledge to overcome it.
- Adequate rest:
Allow them to rest comfortably if they are on their lunch breaks in restrooms. These restrooms should be compulsory in every workplace so that employees can have some rest if they are fatigued or sick. Provide basic medical supplies in these restrooms so that they can have them if they face any problem during their office hours.
What exactly organisations can do to prevent bad mental health conditions
- Create a workplace that is psychologically safe and secured
- Openly talk on taboo topics of our society and try to normalise them
- Encourage diversity and inclusions in workplace culture
- Support them immensely to polish their skills and learning potential
- Take serious actions on sensitive topics like bullying, harassment, abuse or sexual assault
- Provide them what is necessary for their mental health well-being
- Grant them holidays once in every three months so that they can get relaxed
- Treat them with kindness, love and respect as they deserve it
- Arrange small gatherings over lunch or dinner for them to enjoy themselves
The bottom line
By the above mentioned points it’s easy to understand how mental health and workplace culture are linked to one another. By keeping all the data in mind employers can assuredly reduce their employees mental health struggles. Managing it can become easier by using time and attendance management software tool.
