Mental health comprises of our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
Poor employee mental health can be due to factors internal or external to the workplace and, without effective management, can seriously impact employees’ productivity, career prospects and wider health.[1]
The term ‘mental health problem’ is used to describe symptoms associated with a mental disorder, but which are not of sufficient severity to be diagnosed as a mental disorder. For example, stress results in a number of symptoms associated with mental disorders, including distress and feelings of not coping. Mental disorders are clinically significant conditions characterized by altered thoughts, emotions or behaviour with associated distress or impaired functioning.[2]
Mental health issues could develop from accommodation, marriage, divorce, finances, family issues, lack of proper treatment, lack of awareness about mental health, money problems etc. Mental health problems affect many employees, a fact that is usually overlooked because these disorders tend to be hidden at work.[3] Mental health disorders often go unrecognized and untreated, not only damaging an individual’s health and career, but also reducing efficiency at work.
A look at the legal profession for instance, shows that lawyers regularly work stressful schedules, often staying at work into the late hours of the evening. A study by John Hopkins University, found that among more than 100 occupations studied, lawyers were three times more likely to suffer from depression than any other profession.[4]
STATE OF MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK
Mental health at the work place is often not reported because the patients are not empowered to do so. Employers need to move away from looking at employees as just bags of skills and move towards acceptance of the whole person.[5]
The high cost, disruption and toll of mental health issues and a series of high profile incidents have called for governments to use legislation to require employers to provide employees with psychologically safe workplaces.[6]
Adequate treatment, on the other hand, can alleviate symptoms for the employee and improve job performance.[7] Achieving these aims however require a shift in attitudes about the nature of mental health challenges and the recognition that such a valuable realisation takes effort and time.
The practical steps that employers can take to promote mental well-being are set out below:
- introducing a dedicated counselling service or helpline for mental health issues;
- training on mental health issues including mental health first aid;
- using positive language;
- fostering a culture of support and openness so that those needing help feel reassured to seek help without any stigma being attached to them;
- seeking advice and resources from mental health support organisations;
- adopting a mental health toolkit on how to prevent suicides;
- Taking vacation time- working straight through the year without taking multiple sequential days off can create significant mental strain and feelings of being overworked. It is very important to know when to go on these breaks as well.
- Dropping clients that stress you, some clients will always be painful to work with on a regular basis. If they’re draining your mental resources, it’s time to let them go.
- Separating work and home will improve mental health. Maintaining that balance is important not just to your own mental health, but also to cultivate strong relationships between you and your friends and family. [8]
IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK PLACE
People that feel good about themselves often work productively, interact well with colleagues and make valuable contributions to the workplace.[9] Creating a psychologically healthy and safe workplace benefits employers and workers as well as their families
Employers can benefit on many levels if they focus on their internal approach to mental health and drawing on ever-increasing levels of external expertise and resources.[10]
PLAN FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY
World Health Organisation (WHO)’s comprehensive mental health action plan 2013-2020 was adopted by the 66th World Health Assembly. It focuses international attention on a long-neglected problem and is firmly rooted in the principles of human rights. The four major objectives of the action plan are to:
- Strengthen effective leadership and governance for mental health.
- Provide comprehensive, integrated and responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings.
- Implement strategies for promotion and prevention in mental health.
- Strengthen information systems, evidence and research for mental health.[11]
MENTAL HEALTH POLICY FOR THE NIGERIAN WORK PLACE
In Nigeria, there is a need for regulations that guide the management of mental health in the work place. A mental health policy accompanied by comprehensible functioning procedures and underpinned by tested values that brings mental health into the mainstream of work, that provides a framework which everyone in the organisation knows on how the organisation views and deals with mental health in the workplace.[12]
The current mental health law in Nigeria is the Lunatic Act of 1958 which is absolutely obsolete. Majority of the current effective methods of treating mental disorders were not available before 1958. A repeal was sponsored to replace the current Act but unfortunately it appears that the National Assembly has not attached significant importance to mental health problems as they ought to.
However, Section 17 subsection 3 paragraph B and C of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 states that;
The state shall direct its policy towards ensuring that-
Conditions of work are just and humane, and that there are adequate facilities for leisure and for social, religious and cultural life; The health, safety and welfare of all persons in employment are safeguarded and not endangered or abused.
This provision gives hope to the significance of mental health at work in Nigeria. This directive can be seen as a cover for the mental health of employees. The Ministry of Health however, should endeavour to birth policies for mental health in collaboration with Ministry of Labour, and for administrating the mental health policy
In the UK for instance, the Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, the term workplace stress is not explicitly defined, however, it is included in the wider definition of hazard, which under the new Act. Stress will however mean “a situation or thing that has a potential to cause death, injury, or illness to a person.”The new Health and Safety at Work Act came into effect in September 2016.[13] The new legislation has brought a regulatory cover for stress at the work place.
The need for the mental health policy for employees includes the evidence of the impact of mental health strategies on productivity and an understanding of the importance of addressing mental health issues in the workplace. A mental health policy for the work place should define the vision for improving the mental health of the employees in the organisation. However, for this, it is necessary to generate support and collaboration; coordinate implementation; train key personnel; establish demonstration projects; and evaluate the outcomes.
A mental health policy should include:[14]
- A definition and understanding of mental health.
- A commitment to supporting and enabling mental health at work.
- A commitment to establish a working group/committee to develop, manage and co-ordinate policy implementation.
- A commitment to engage in staff consultation as necessary to inform and support the policy.
- A commitment to compliance with legal obligations under the Employment.
Policy objectives should include actions at the individual and organisational levels, for example, building individual capacity for eliminating and/or reducing psychosocial organisational risk factors such as stress or bullying.
The work place mental health regulation should be based on a comprehensive understanding of the issues. For example, it is important to understand what factors may be contributing to an employee’s stress (or satisfaction), and what effects are being seen in the organisation as a result.
CONCLUSION
It’s time for Government to have a better mental health strategy for mental health problems. Mental health challenges should be prevented with the same commitment, passion and drive as we do with physical health challenges. The Ministry of Labour should take steps to bring the issue of mental health in the workplace to the forefront.
It is therefore important that employers and their employees take steps to promote positive mental health and support those experiencing mental ill health. The ministries of Labour and Health should prioritize workplace mental health through Occupational Health, Safety and Prevention Innovation programs. Initiatives focusing on promoting psychologically healthy workplaces, preventing or mitigating work related stress, and providing workers dealing with mental health issues with valuable tools and resources should be created.
FOOTNOTES:
[1]Steve Fisher Why it Pays to Take Mental Health at Work Seriously available at https://www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk/mag/advice/why-it-pays-to-take-mental-health-at-work-seriously/ last accessed 19 July 2018
[2] World Health Organization, 2001
[3]Mental health problems in the workplace available at
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/mental-health-problems-in-the-workplace last accessed 19 July 2018
[4] Ted David, Can Lawyers Learn to Be Happy?, 57 No. 4 Prac. Law 29 (2011).
[5] https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/the-law-and-mental-health-in-the-workplace/ 28 May 2018
[6]Workplace Mental Health and The Law available athttp://www.workplacelawconsulting.com/2013/08/workplace-mental-health-and-the-law/ last accessed 19 July 2018
[7] The Silent Tsunami: Understanding Mental Health and Psychosocial Disorders in the Workplace available at https://patch.com/new-jersey/eastbrunswick/silent-tsunami-understanding-mental-health-psychosocial-disorders-workplace, last accessed 19 July 2018
[8] Read How to Reduce Stress at Work: 12 Strategies to Handle Stressful Careers available at https://www.clicktime.com/blog/12-strategies-to-handle-stressful-careers/ Last accessed 19 July 2018
[9] Mental health in the workplace by Charted Institute of Payroll Professionals available at https://www.cipp.org.uk/news-publications/news/mental-health-in-the-workplace.html Last accessed 19July 2018
[10] Spotlight on mental health in the workplace by Kenny Scott available at http://www.shoosmiths.co.uk/client-resources/legal-updates/spotlight-on-mental-health-in-the-workplace-12861.aspx Last accessed 19 July 2018
[11]Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2020 avaliable at http://www.who.int/mental_health/action_plan_2013/en/ last accessed on 19July 2018
[12] Beverly Webster The national Mental Health Stigma Reduction Partnership, A mental health policy document for the workplace,
[13] Health and Safety at Work Act, available at http://www.stress.nz/healthandsafety.html 24th May 2018
[14] A Mental Health Policy Document for the Workplace, available at https://www.ictu.ie/download/pdf/final_mental_health_policy_document_for_the_workplace.pdf
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