Work environment has major impact on employees' mental health

As Mental Health Week nears its close on Oct 10 , new research shows that good employer practices go a long way in creating a positive attitude among employees, reducing risk of mental illness while keeping problems at bay.

There is a direct correlation between work environment and workers’ mental health. Employees that are not given adequate managerial attention or those battling mental illness are more unproductive. Workers in places that are overly competitive are prone to taking days off. Sedentary lifestyles in a corporate environment further aggravate the problem.

On the other hand, the converse applies for companies that set as an organisational objective. They provide better employee support, leading to higher commitment and productivity levels. In addition, those that have recovered from mental illness are likely to stay happier in such organisations.

“The physical environment impacts in lots of ways, whether it's ergonomic or light and space or collaboration, it depends what a workplace is wanting to achieve,” AFR quotes Sharon Leadbetter, the coordinator of Mental Health Awareness NSW’s workplace health promotion network. “It's interrupting the workflow – you're breaking up your work day with movement," she says.

Finance, accounting, and legal firms are some of the industries lagging in mental health.

"Sometimes people come up to me and say 'mental health, I don't have that'; I say 'you do... we all do'. It's like physical health. You move up and down your whole life”, AFR quotes Leadbetter.

Mental health has long remained a neglected issue across personal and professional lives. In this scenario, the Mental Health Week has opened some necessary dialogue on this often ignored subject. Employers are increasingly placing emphasis on improving workers’ mental health by giving special attention to those suffering from acute anxiety and stress. It leaves little room for organisations to avoid responsibility.

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