Getting Support for Mental Health at Work

 

Courtesy Image from World Health Organization

Poor working environments affect everyone’s mental health especially if you neglect your mental health. Workplaces that have poor working environments make it difficult to remain working there and to excel in your career. Furthermore, it is estimated that fifteen percent of employees have too many job tasks, excessive work hours, and experience burnout frequently. Also, some employees experience discrimination due to age, pregnancy, sexual stereotypes, appearances, and the way they speak. Some also experience insults, distrust, inappropriate jokes, and feel demotivated to finish their job tasks.

It is unfortunate that some employees deal with harassment and have negative experiences in their current job or in past jobs. Additionally, employees might feel intimidated, threatened, and might feel too much nervousness in a poor working environment. It is essential to have more workplace training for sexual harassment, workplace violence, and more training regarding employee’s legal protections. As well as making sure that all employees feel safe, welcome, and feel valued in their job. Supervisors must also take these training classes to ensure a safe and respectful workplace environment for everyone in the business, organization, or educational institute.

Although not all supervisors threaten, bully, intimidate, and do verbal abuse to their employees, it is crucial to know the signs of a hostile working environment. Hostile working environments affects everyone’s mental health as well as their job productivity. Supervisors that look over an employee’s shoulders, yell, and are overdemanding make it a poor working environment. Workplace bullying exists globally, and bullying employees results in twenty three percent of the time. According to the statistics, forty-eight million people are bullied at work.

Yet, it is necessary to know the signs of workplace bullying, sexual harassment, and violence in workplaces. Poor working environments can improve depending on the business, organization, institution. Striving for a positive working environment is what all employees need to concentrate on and must act on with Human Resources (HR). Feeling discomfort, stressed-out, and experiencing unhappiness in a job can impact your mood, your behavior, your actions, and your words. Take your time today to take care of yourself and to make yourself a priority when you are at work.

If something is bothering you at work, contact someone for advice or immediately go to Human Resources especially if you are experiencing workplace bullying, harassment, or other forms of employee abuse. Create and write down your personal goals. Keep it simple and recognize your needs for taking care of yourself before going to work. Review your workday in a journal, in a notebook, or in a list. Address each need and goals individually so you do not overwhelm yourself.

 

 

Courtesy Image from World Health Organization

Every year on October 10^th is World Mental Health Day and remind yourself to take care of your mental wellness at work. Proactively seek therapy, find ways to relax, and retain your composure when you are working. This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day is “Mental Health at Work.” Do not feel guilty, embarrassed, or worry about asking about accommodations for your depression, anxiety disorder, or for other mental health conditions. No employee should go through job insecurities, discrimination, harassment, feel unsafe, and have a heavy workload. 

Be alert and do not allow disrespect at your job. Every workplace needs to be respectful as well as having a respectful personal space to work in a positive work environment. Take mental breaks when it is necessary and do not feel inferior to anyone in your job. If a supervisor demonstrates too much power of authority and is too demanding; Document every incident, your reasons for emotional distress, and any complaints that you might have to give to Human Resources. Create a peaceful working environment for yourself and for all employees by implementing mental health training, including managers.

Know your limits and your boundaries with other employees and with your supervisor. Connect with your colleagues, work mentor, or someone you can trust for communicating about any work issues you might have. Do not feel unworthy due to bad comments, bad jokes, or from experiencing workplace bullying. Avoid not feeling confident, avoid work burn-out, and voice your concerns in your work environment especially when it comes to mental wellness. Here are websites for mental health at work. 

7 Examples of Poor Working Conditions and How to Improve Them:

7 Examples of Poor Working Conditions and How to Improve Them

Guidelines on Mental Health at Work-World Health Organization:

Guidelines on Mental Health at Work-World Health Organization

* Courtesy Image from World Health Organization