Any competent employer, manager, or HR professional worth their weight understands that the true driving force behind a successful business lies within its people. Safeguarding mental well-being in the workplace is too important to be left as a second thought.
In a survey conducted by Seek, it was found that only thirty percent of New Zealand businesses provide a workplace policy for mental health. The overflow from this showed that twenty seven percent of employees have lied about taking a mental health day.
Mental health is a resource that exists in everyone. Just like physical health, it needs to be taken care of in order to minimise the risk of illness. While there is a lot of discussion around ways people can support positive mental health with internal development, we need to consider the many external factors that impact our wellbeing.
Mental health is an important part of a working environment, and organisations are legally bound by the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 to ensure that they are providing a workplace that looks after the mental health of their staff. Given that mental health is a universal concern, it is vital for workplaces to advocate for mentally healthy work.
When an employer or business commits to and actively supports the principles of mentally healthy work, their people thrive.
The path to creating a mentally healthy and safe work environment relies on being evidence-informed and promoting positive workplace cultures. Research has shown that embracing mentally healthy work contributes to a reduction in harm experienced by employees—whether mental harm, physical pain or injuries, or illness.
Work design stands as a fundamental aspect of mentally healthy work. Employees who lack opportunities to provide their input regarding how their job is created or feel disconnected from their roles often experience more mental health challenges at work compared to their counterparts in more inclusive environments.
Clarity in role expectations, as opposed to vague or shifting goals, plays a huge part in the success of a team member, as does recognition and reward, not only for a job well done but for a job done. This goes hand in hand with allowing the freedom to prioritise personal well-being rather than feeling pressured into giving their whole selves to a job that doesn’t appreciate them.
Job stress occurs when the demands of the job outweigh the available resources. A certain amount of challenge is important to feeling fulfilled in a role, as overcoming these challenges creates a sense of achievement and personal growth. However, issues arise when there is an imbalance between the
demands placed on the team member, their level of control in the role, and the resources at their disposal. Along with a lack of effort and reward invested by the employer or business, these factors all contribute significantly towards job stress in the workplace.
Modifications in work areas can be made to minimise these potential stressors, such as:
· Enhancing available resources
· Providing a clear understanding of a role
· Ensuring that rewards align with the effort expended
· Highlighting achievements
· Providing learning and growth opportunities
· Creating a safe workplace culture.
Healthy minds are more creative, innovative and solutions-focused, giving a business a competitive edge. Happy and fulfilled employees who enjoy their work are less likely to call in sick or leave for another job, which results in savings for the employer stemming from less need to fill empty roles.
A workplace that’s recognised for its positive work environment and healthy workplace culture finds it easier to recruit and retain high-quality workers. This, in turn, contributes to an overall cost reduction and a boost in productivity.
