IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH IN WORKPLACE

Let’s be real here, how many of us have taken a leave from the office, just because we were mentally exhausted?

Mental health in the workplace is one of the most discussed topics of 2021, owing to the rise of awareness in mental health. Is it really effective, or just a farce?

Let’s take the example of the world health organization.

 At a global approach level, WHO's Global Plan of Action on Workers Health (2008-2017) and Mental Health Action Plan (2013-2030) layout important standards, targets, and execution techniques to advance great mental health in the working environment. To help organizations and labourers, WHO has created the "Protecting Workers' Health" series which gives direction on normal issues. These include common examples such as badgering and stress that can influence the health of labourers and employees. As a component of the Mental health Gap Action Program (mhGAP), which gives apparatuses to confirm based health care, WHO's specialised instruments for early recognizable proof and the executives of liquor and medication use problems and for self-destruction avoidance can likewise be pertinent for mental health in the working environment.

While these look super enticing and sound like the economy actually cares about the workers beyond just international labours day, are they still efficacious? According to statistics, 1 out of every 5 women is harassed at their workplace. Out of these harassed women, the majority deal with domestic violence as well. Men, on the other hand, are subjected to unhealthy competition and exposure to unparliamentary work ethics at offices, which leads to a detrimental ion on mental health, and an urge of mid-life crisis. Some of the most common mental health disorders that are recorded are- Depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s diseases in old age workers.

While our five-digit salaries might be promising us a luxurious and affordable lifestyle, is it still happy and healthy? When we sleep on our deathbeds, we don’t want to be subjected to remembering the harassment and exploited dimensions at our workplaces. Instead, we all would want to think of the happy times in life, don’t we? However, mental health goes beyond just an emotional point of view. Expanding the comprehension of employees with dysfunctional mental health behavior is significant for both financial and humanistic reasons.

Associations or companies that support the cause of mental wellbeing in their employees have statistically proven to be better situated to support the qualities of individuals with dysfunctional behaviour, while limiting any related monetary expenses. Although exact proof has shown that psychological sickness influences efficiency, there remains a lot of research that researchers are aware of the impacts of these problems on representatives' work results. Despite all that, the fact that mental wellbeing is of high importance in a workplace remains solid.

Next time we think of meeting deadlines at the office,  let’s make a new resolution for 2022 to prioritise our mental health first. After all, self-care is the ultimate form of empowerment.