Mental health is complicated, and people deal with their emotions and mental health in their way. At a workplace, mental health can be even more of a contentious issue, as we have to tread carefully in managing mental health ourselves as well as of fellow employees.
So, what would be considered ‘normal’ for managing mental health at work? Is it even right to label something as normal about it?
In this content piece, we will be discussing what’s normal and what’s not in managing mental health at work.
Mental Health – What is It?
There is a fundamental difference between a mental disorder and mental health or well-being. They can fall under the same umbrella, but in this specific case, we will only be looking at it from the perspective of well-being, not an illness.
Our mental health has a lot to do with how and what we think. If our thoughts are dominated by anxiety, uneasiness, and a sense of constant disturbance, it can be difficult to be fulfilled in life and at work.
This can also end up affecting our professional lives as a whole. Our feelings and behavior can change as our mental health changes, and they can affect us and those around us.
How Mental Health Affects Us at Work
As our mental health fluctuates, certain things about us can change. These changes can affect many small aspects of our lives, which can have a cascading effect, be it negative or positive. A few examples are:
- Our Punctuality: If a person has a habit of getting up at a certain time, and is punctual about when they come in at work, it can be affected by their mental health. Disrupted mental health affects sleep quality and patterns, which can in turn cause them to show up late, and affect their performance more.
- Our Performance: We all have off days, but a sign of deteriorating mental health is when they extend past two weeks. If your performance or an employee’s performance is negatively affected, consider checking if they display signs of mental ill health.
- Our Behavior and Demeanor: Professional etiquette demands open communication, and collaboration, and has plenty of people working together. While disagreements are inevitable, irritation due to mental health can lead to someone being uncooperative or difficult to work with, even if they are not normally like that.
- Our Physical Health: As mental and physical health are interconnected; a deteriorating mental health condition can harm your physical activity as well. If you exercise regularly or the job is physically demanding, mental ill health can be problematic as well.
These effects should not be considered normal or the up and down cycle of a workplace. While it is true that we cannot perform at our best, worsening conditions are a sign of negative mental health, and should not be taken as normal. Two weeks of consistent signs of mental ill health is widely considered a reasonable period to determine if someone needs help.
How Work Environment Affects Mental Health
A highly competitive work environment can lead to disagreements, burnout, and other ailments that are related to mental health issues and more. Such competitive workplaces demand extremely high performance consistently, which can be very difficult to keep up with for many individuals.
It can create a hostile work environment and, in some cases, negatively affect the mental well-being of those competing against each other. Therefore, in a work environment, it can be better for balance to have occasional competition rather than employees constantly competing against each other.
Having the Mental Wellbeing Discussion
Overall mental health is tough to define. We are all suffering through something at any given moment. However, a general sense of fulfillment, happiness, and satisfaction is perfectly normal. We will not be in a constant state of happiness or depression, so it is safe to assume that these states are always in flux as well.
The most important thing is for a workplace to be a place that does not act as a detriment to one’s mental health, from the individuals to the policies and practices of the workplace. That means if a person is suffering from mental ill health, it should not be considered a burden, and employers should handle the situation with sensitivity and care, providing all the necessary pathways to better mental well-being for the individual.
It might also require training employees on how to handle someone with deteriorating mental health. Helping employees get better informed through regular sessions of mental health awareness training can be a great way to start. Offering therapy sessions, an inclusive environment that lets employees open up, and other employee assistance programs can also go a long way in this regard.
Conclusion
Mental health at work can be a complicated subject, and here we look at where mental health can change the ‘normal’ workday for you or others. Here, we looked at mental health through a lens of well-being instead of an illness, and how we can improve well-being overall.