How your workplace can affect employees' mental wellbeing
The recognition and acceptance of mental health and wellbeing is gaining momentum through the workplace.
Companies are becoming more aware of how psychological factors, work or non-work related, can have a significant effect on an individual’s mental state in the workplace, productivity and engagement.
Companies have a duty of care to ensure a psychologically and physically safe working environment for their employees, but there is also a growing demand for more positive and supportive workplace cultures.
Research conducted by Instinct and Reason, on behalf of Beyond Blue, found that “three-quarters of Australian employees say a mentally healthy workplace is important when looking for a job.”
Understanding psychosocial hazards in the workplace
In order to create a mentally healthy work environment, you need to know and address any potential psychological risks. Safe Work Australia refers to these as psychosocial hazards – mental and emotional stressors created when an employee doesn’t feel they have the ability or resources to cope with their job demands.
People with existing mental health conditions are not the only ones who are exposed to psychosocial hazards nor are they the only ones who respond to them. Psychosocial hazards affect anyone in an organisation.
They may be always present due to the nature of the job or work environment or they may occur from an event. Some employees may even be exposed to a combination of them.
As people react differently in certain situations, the susceptibility of exposure and harm can be very subjective and must be treated with great care and sensitivity.
From CEOs to graduates, everyone has the right to come to a positive work environment and feel they can express their views, concerns or hardships in a confidential and supportive manner.
Ignoring psychosocial hazards can have detrimental effects
If not addressed and identified properly, exposure to psychosocial hazards can lead to work-related stress, unplanned absences, staff turnover, poor work or poor product quality, and even long-term depression and anxiety.
Safe Work Australia highlights that each year 7,200 Australians are compensated for work-related mental health conditions, and approximately $543 million is paid in workers’ compensation for work-related mental health conditions.
Between 2010-11 and 2014-15, 91% of worker’s compensation claims involving a mental health condition were connected to work-related stress or mental stress. The top three causes were work pressure, work-related harassment and/or bullying and exposure to violence.
Achieving mental wellness takes an integrated approach
As mentioned in our previous article Mental wellness in the workplace identifying, managing and controlling psychosocial hazards can be done through the risk management process and incorporated into existing WHS/OHS procedures.
To truly sustain a mentally healthy workplace, however, takes an integrated and collaborative approach from people across all levels of an organisation.
Companies should implement mental health and wellbeing strategies and policies that are endorsed and promoted by senior management. It is important for leaders to commit to mental wellness initiatives and education, and even be good role models demonstrating their own healthy work habits and self-care.
It is also important for managers and supervisors to be effectively trained in discussing mental health and wellbeing with employees, and how to look out for, approach and support employees who may be struggling with work or non-work related stressors.
The key attributes of a mentally healthy workplace
Heads Up outlines some key attributes of a mentally healthy workplace:
- Prioritise mental health across all levels of employees
- Build a trusting, fair and respectful culture
- Demonstrate a commitment and shared purpose from leadership
- Match roles to employees’ skills and abilities
- Set reasonable workloads and timelines
- Encourage skills and career development
- Encourage work/life balance
- Be responsive and supportive to employees with mental health conditions
Not only can these practices and strategies help create a more positive workplace culture and reduce employee exposure to psychological risk, they can also assist those with existing mental health conditions feel more supported and accepted in the workplace.
Tips to keep you mentally well at work
If your organisation is still working on an effective mental health and wellbeing strategy or mental wellness is not a priority, there are still ways that you can contribute to a mentally healthy work environment.
For managers:
- Increase your own knowledge, and your staff’s knowledge, about mental health and the support services available
- Educate yourself on how to effectively identify and support any team member who is struggling with their mental health
- Find out the most appropriate ways to have open and honest discussions with team members on mental wellbeing
- Lead by example – take regular breaks, leave on time and take care of yourself
For employees:
- Take care of your health, both physical and mental
- Be aware of the signs and symptoms of work-related stress and mental health conditions and ask for support if needed
- Know what your legal rights are regarding mental health conditions in the workplace
- Provide support to colleagues especially if they don’t seem themselves
- Encourage your company to be proactive about mental wellbeing
Psychosocial hazards: causes & solutions
Below is a table of the common psychosocial hazards in the workplace as outlined by Safe Work Australia, and some possible causes and solutions.
Click here to download this table as a PDF to share with your managers and team members.
Click here to download a table of the common psychosocial hazards in the workplace as outlined by Safe Work Australia, and some possible causes and solutions.
Pyschosocial hazard | Possible causes | Possible solutions* |
High job demands
Jobs that require continual high physical, mental or emotional effort |
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Low job demands
Jobs that require low physical, mental or emotional effort |
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Low job control
Jobs where the employee has little control over of how and when a job is done |
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Poor support
Jobs or tasks where workers have little to no practical or emotional support |
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Poor workplace relationships
Jobs where employees are physically or emotionally hurt, treated unfairly or work in a toxic company culture |
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Low role clarity
Jobs where there is confusion or changes to the role |
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Poor organisational change management
Workplaces affected by major changes |
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Low recognition and reward
Jobs where employee satisfaction or advancement is ignored |
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Poor organisational justice
Unfair and biased work culture |
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Poor environmental conditions
Jobs where there is exposure to poor quality or hazardous work environments |
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Remote & isolated work
Jobs where the work location is far from others, or where the employee is working alone or with a few other people |
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Violent or traumatic events
A workplace incident where the employee has been exposed to or threatened with abuse or harm that has caused fear or distress |
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Secondary or vicarious trauma
Those who have witnessed a fatality or investigated an injury or fatality |
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*References:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7b98/6c7b2fe83daab9d42f8b9af3abc9be698d8c.pdf
https://www.safework.sa.gov.au/resources/managing-work-environment-and-facilities