Mental Health In The Workplace: The Common Reasons It Is Effected

Mike Veny

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Many of us spend a good chunk of time at work and doing some sort of job, and because of that, we can spend more time with colleagues and our line managers than we do with our own families. However, the workplace is not always a safe haven or happy place to be, it can also have you riddled with mental health issues and worries, some of which are caused because of work. 

Your mental health is so important, and it is so important to do what you can to take care of it. Working or heading to work is often the thing where most of your time and your dedication. So you need to do what you can to protect your mental health. But what causes problems? With that in mind, here are some of the common reasons your employees are affected when it comes to their mental health. 

Deadlines and too much pressure

One of the first things that you can find is that your deadlines can become too much pressure when it comes to your staff and employees. You may think that your request is reasonable, but some may find that it is more of a struggle to stay on top of things. The best advice would be to always ensure that you are taking into account the rest of the workload, and if there are other factors to consider. Communication and conversations about it can also help make a big difference. 

Workplace stress 

The next thing to think about would be workplace stress and whether or not this is a factor to consider. There are many things that you may need to think about such as the workload and deadlines, the amount of responsibility your employees have, and whether or not they are able to handle it. This is when your mental health services within your business could become very useful, and giving your employees access to this can make such a difference to how they feel at work. Stress can be brought on by many different factors, so what you may think is a problem, may actually be something else entirely. 

Isolating employees

Another thing that you may not be aware of that can cause issues with mental health is isolating your employees. This is especially noticeable with new employees, so you may need to think about how you can avoid this problem. Something as simple as name badges can make such a difference. Everyone knows everybody’s name. You could look into employee badge pricing to ensure that this could be part of your department budget. You could also look into team building sessions and regular meetings so that everyone can feel involved.   

Issues with coworkers and colleagues

A big issue when it comes to mental health when it comes to the workplace is the fact that coworkers and colleagues may not always get on. Not everyone will gel with every type of personality, so it may be time to start thinking about whether or not there is any tension in the office. Hopefully having an open door policy and keeping the lines of communication open will help your employees to feel comfortable in discussing with you if there are any issues with coworkers and colleagues. 

Bring home-related problems into work

Sometimes it is unavoidable for your employees and staff members not to bring their home-related problems into work. This could be anything from financial worries and marital problems to stressful situations within their families. It is normal for these people to go through these things from time to time, so making allowances for it can help your staff members to feel valued at work. You could also integrate things into the workplace that can help relieve stress. Perhaps a breakout area where they can go to take a few minutes break, or allowing flexible days or flexible working hours can help to make a difference when it comes to having a good work and life balance. 

The environment 

Finally, the environment can be a big indicator as to whether or not things are positive or negative and this can also affect mental health. It might sound small, but the biggest thing you can do as an employer is to ensure that you keep the environment a positive and productive place to be. A great tip is to ask for feedback so that you can make the right changes. 

Let’s hope this helps you be more aware of the factors that can affect mental health in the workplace. 

Mike Veny

Mike Veny won Corporate LiveWire’s 2022 & 2023 Innovation & Excellence Awards for his work as a Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist®. He also won NAMI New York State’s 2023 Leader Of Mental Health Awareness award. As a PM360 ELITE Award Winner, he was recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the healthcare industry for his work with patient advocacy. Determined to overcome a lifetime of serious mental health challenges, Mike’s career began as a professional drummer and evolved into becoming a change maker in the workplace wellness industry. Mike is the author of several books, including the best-selling book, Transforming Stigma: How to Become a Mental Wellness Superhero. He is currently furthering his knowledge at Maharishi International University, pursuing a Consciousness and Human Potential degree.