According to a report by The Nation on May 26, 2019, the World Health Organisation stated that 24 million Nigerians are at risk of mental disorder. This is serious. It is an issue that should be addressed urgently. This should not only concern the government, it should also be a source of concern to employers of labour. This is rightly so because the World Health Organization reported that the global economy loses US$1 trillion yearly (in lost productivity) as a result of depression and anxiety. In context, depression and anxiety are both classified as mental disorders. Before addressing what a mental disorder is, it is important to look at the concept of mental health, a dimension of health.
The World Health Organisation defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community”. This definition makes it clear that mental health is central to productivity and has implications for the realisation of organisational objectives. Besides this definition, I believe it is common knowledge that work requires mental and physical effort.We cannot dismiss the importance of mental health. In addition,, it is necessary to quickly explain the meaning of mental disorder, an aberration from mental health. Basically, a mental disorder is a mental health condition characterised by subjective distress, impairment in normal daily functioning et cetera. In the context of work, anyone who suffers from a mental disorder not only experiences distress but is also unable to concentrate and discharge their duties effectively. This will manifest through varied symptoms that may come in the form of depression (a mood disorder), panic disorder (an anxiety disorder) and so on.. It is crucial I mention that seeing someone show signs of distress or inability to function at work for a day or two is not enough to conclude that the individual is suffering from a mental disorder. There are globally approved minimum duration that qualifies a mental phenomenonas a disorder and it is usually advisable to leave mental diagnosis to mental health professionals. You can learn about these and more from my social media awareness campaign on mental health which will end on the third week in August 2019.
What are those organisational (i.e. workplace) factors that can negatively impact mental health? According to the World Health Organisation, the following are risk factors for mental health issues at work: inadequate health and safety policies, poor communication and management practices, limited participation in decision-making or low control over one’s area of work, low levels of support for employee, inflexible working hours, and unclear tasks or organisational objectives. In addition to these risk factors stated by the World Health Organisation, it is important to keep in mind that work environments with the following characteristics do not promote mental health: office politics that ‘destroy’ some organisation members in the process, ‘Us versus Them’ organisational culture, silencing divergent and/or unpopular (yet progressive and practical) opinions of some organisation members, sacrificing merit on the altar of favouritism and nepotism, discrimination and injustice; subtle and tactical endorsement of physical & sexual harassment. These practices, which are the norm in some organizations, promote toxicity. The average worker out there craves a safe and supportive work environment where they can gainfully work while fulfilling their modest or lofty aspirations. The average worker does not crave a workplace that compromises their mental health. Organisations owe their employees a safe workspace.
Here are my recommendations for promoting mental heath in the workplace. Before I begin, I will like to state that sanctions, queries, suspensions and so on do not correct mental disorders. That said, let’s focus on the recommendations. I will start by recommending that personality tests be part of employee selection process in order to ascertain individual characteristics which must align with job characteristics and demands. When there is no alignment between an individual’s personality and a job, work stress will set in and too much stress breaks down one’s coping abilities. In addition to carrying out personality assessments to ensure proper job placements, organizations should put in place stress management mechanisms. Have an in-house psychologist and a safe space for staff to discuss their private struggles. Organisations should also have flexible working hours, nap rooms, games an so on. Also, it is important to draft and enforce a robust occupational health policy that factors in mental health. This policy will signal the seriousness of a company’s management. Go a step further to have regular (quarterly or biannual etc.) sessions on mental health so as to discuss these issues and deepen awareness. When symptoms of mental illness are observed in employees, endeavour to make referral to mental health professionals. Such cases should not be handled by non-professionals so they do not cause more harm to the mental health of the affected employee(s).
In conclusion, it is important to always remember that paying employees monthly salaries does not mean you have the license to wear them out and compromise their mental health. Show some concern. Show genuine care.
Jude Adigwe
Adigwe is a certified Human Resource Management (HRM) professional and an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist.
