Creating Culture of Care: Enhancing Mental Health at Workplace

  •   Thu, Oct 10 2024
  •   By Dr Deepa Kotari

October 10, 2024

Mental health continues to carry a stigma for many, with misconceptions still persisting, many believe that psychology only deals with those experiencing severe mental disorders, failing to grasp the broader scope of the field. This limited understanding prevails even among the educated.

The truth is, Psychology encompasses far more- It’s about understanding human behavior, emotions, and the cognitive process. Mental Health is just as crucial as physical health, and yet it often doesn’t receive the attention it deserves.

This is why “World Mental Health is observed on 10th of October every year –to raise awareness and challenge the stigma around Mental Health. This year’s Theme for Mental Health Day is “Mental Health at Work Place” Workplace burnouts characterized by chronic stress, emotional exhaustion and reduced productivity has seen sharp increase in recent years. Studies show that more than half of the global work force now reports feeling overwhelmed, facing mental health challenges and struggling to maintain healthy balance between their personal and professional lives.

The growing crisis underscores the critical need to prioritize mental health in work place, creating supportive environment that promote wellbeing and sustainable productivity. Mental health at the workplace can be approached from two key perspectives:

  • Organizational responsibilities
  • Individual Practices

What Organizations can do:

  • Foster Positive Work Environment: The organizations should focus on encouraging open communication at work place, Recognizing and Appreciating accomplishments of the employees, reducing excess workload. Providing job clarity, Flexible work hours, This can help to a great extent to reduce burnout at work place and enhance productivity.
  • Provision of Mental health Services at Work Place: Mental Health issues can have significant negative impact on productivity of the employee, Hence organisations should foster culture of openness where mental health is discussed without stigma. Organization can provide services such as Counselling, Wellness programmes and Stress Management Workshops for the employees.
  • Training and Awareness: Timely employees can be trained on various mental health topics like identifying signs of Distress, Burnout, Directing the employees to right resources

Individual practices that Employees can Practice at Work Place for Better Mental Health:

  • Take Breaks Regularly: Step away from your place for short breaks, recharge your mind and reduce stress, it could be a brief walk, reading up a newspaper or a Magazine, or even a stretch can refresh your focus.
  • Practice Mindfulness: Practice some Mindfulness techniques like Deep breathing or Body scanning, Practice some simple Grounding Exercises like :
  • The 3-3-3 Rule

How to do it:

  • Step 1: Pick out three things in your environment you can see, three things you can hear, and three things you can touch.
  • Step 2: Focus on the characteristics of the three things you see. Ask yourself questions like, “What shape is it?” and “What color shade is it?”
  • Step 3: Move on to three sounds you can hear. Listen and try to pick out three distinct sounds. What are their pitches like? Are they relaxing or harsh?
  • Step 4: Finally, engage with your sense of touch, tuning into how they feel.

“This physical grounding exercise has found to be highly effective for calming nerves,”

  • Follow the 5-4-3-2-1 Method

Step 1: Identify five things you can see.

Step 2: Four things you can touch

Step 3: Three things you can hear

Step 4: Two things you can smell

Step 5: One thing you can taste

  • Ask for help: None of us are superhuman. We all sometimes are overwhelmed by how we feel or when things don’t go according to our plan. Don’t hesitate to reach out to mental health professionals, if you are persistently feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed. Early intervention can prevent burn out.
  • Stay Organised:

Prioritize the tasks, create a To-do –list, break large tasks into manageable steps to prevent feeling overwhelmed.

  • Connect With Colleagues: Build positive relationships at work. Socializing with co-workers can provide emotional support and make the workplace feel more enjoyable.
  • Stays hydrated and eat well: Proper nutrition and hydration can positively impact your mental clarity and energy levels throughout the day.
  • Avoid Negative Talk and Toxic people: Engaging in Negative conversations or being around with toxic individuals can drain your energy and increase your stress levels. Focus on engaging in constructive communication and surrounding yourself with supportive colleagues by doing so you create a healthier and more productive work environment.

In conclusion, prioritizing mental health at workplace is essential for fostering a productive and positive environment. Incorporating these practices both by organisations and Individuals can foster healthier mind-set and maintain emotional wellbeing at workplace contributing to Happier, healthier and more engaged workforce.

 

 

 
By Dr Deepa Kotari
Dr Deepa Kotari is director at Alvas Centre for wellness Training and associate professor in psychology, Alvas College Moodbidiri.
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