According to research, we spend one-third or 30% of our lives at work. That’s a big number, which is why savvy employers invest in occupational health. Now although occupational health involves maintaining the physical, mental and social well-being of employees, mental health is largely ignored. Worse, this phenomenon is global, with the degree of ignorance varying as per culture and (lack of) awareness. With 1 in 5 people experiencing a mental health condition at work, this is a disturbing state of affairs.
Personally, I feel India is one of the top countries where mental health is severely disregarded. And this needs to be remedied immediately. On World Mental Health Day today, check out this piece on how Indian companies don’t take mental health seriously. I conclude with what they can do to enable good mental health. Do take a read to know what it’s like to work at a typical company in India. While writing this article, I discovered that:
Mental health awareness is increasing, but few companies around the world are taking it seriously.
Employees don’t confide in their employers as they don’t want to deal with stigma and discrimination. Few bosses understand that mental health is responsible not only for a person’s well-being, it also affects their productivity. If not for humane reasons, companies should keep the bottom line in mind and offer mental health support. As individuals and organizations, we can all take a leaf out of Unilever’s book and start a conversation about mental health at work. Also, just like Unilever, only getting rid of the stigma is not enough. Employees should feel encouraged enough to seek help. Like Unilever, Chief Learning Officer Tim Munden said, “whatever goes on for employees outside of work also goes on inside of work. Helping people manage that is just the right thing to do.”
Does your company help take care of your mental health? What does a mentally healthy workplace look like to you? Let me know your experiences and opinions in the comments below.
That’s new for me.
I really did’nt know about these statistics.
Now that you do, please make your circles aware. It’s our joint responsibility to make the world a more humane place, isn’t it?
It’s true what you said about the severe Indian disregard for mental health. I am an Indian and I work at a reputed IT company here. One of my close friends has severe anxiety and he takes sick leave on days he can’t handle being around other people. He cannot be honest because our manager clearly thinks such people are flaky and cannot be trusted.
I am sorry and disgusted to hear that. Hope things improve – and soon. Sending your friend lots of love and courage.