Thankfully, public education about the importance of mental health has come a long way in recent years. However, there is no room for complacency. How mentally healthy is your workplace? Do your colleagues eat lunch at their desk, or do they sit outside or walk around the block to enjoy some fresh air and escape their computers?
Do you let your work build up, and your anxiety at the same time, without asking for help or telling your manager your workload is unmanageable? Or, do you feel guilty if you switch off at 5.30pm, and worry about work when you’re not there?
There are many aspects of our working lives that can contribute to stress, and it’s not entirely related to our workloads. Your job could be highly demanding, or it could be monotonous, and you feel unchallenged or directionless. Alternately, you might not have the managerial support required to be able to do your job properly.
We don’t often choose who we work with, and personality clashes can get us down. You might work in a dark, dingy office, and you’re beginning to wilt. Are you isolated at work? Or do you work in an environment where there are traumatic events?
Everyone’s work environment is unique and we each manage anxiety and stress differently. When stress builds, it can have serious consequences for our own health, our wellbeing and our ability to get on with a normal life, let alone our working life. It can also be difficult to raise these issues with our colleagues and leaders, meaning we take our problems home with us with the potential for them can escalate.
According to SafeWork Australia, between 2010-11 and 2014-15, 91 per cent of workers compensation claims involving a mental health condition were linked to work-related stress or mental stress. In those five years, one out of every 1,470 full-time employees claimed for a mental health condition every year. Of those, 41 per cent of claims were caused by harassment, bullying or exposure to violence and 91 per cent of claims were attributed to mental stress.
People taking time off for mental health stress claims took an average of 15.3 weeks off, compared to 5.5 weeks for all claims. When our mental health suffers, so does productivity resulting in increased absenteeism and presenteeism. However, there’s a massive return on investment and productivity gain - $2.30 for every $1 spent – when business gets it right by standing up, recognising mental health is ever-present and acting on it.
Business SA, the Mental Health Coalition of SA and SafeWork Australia are launching the 2019 Workplace Challenge, which begins on 1 October.
A healthy workplace is about more than just ergonomics and WHS – it incorporates strategies and policies for good mental health and wellbeing. The aim is to educate workplaces on fostering mentally-healthy environments and engaging people in wellbeing boosting activities.
It’s time to create mentally-healthy workplace habits. Take that much-needed break and walk around the block. Talk to a colleague. Switch off your phone when you turn off your computer. The first step in managing stress and anxiety in the workplace is to recognise it, and then act.
Martin Haese is chief executive of Business SA
This article was originally published in the South Australian Business Journal on Tuesday 10 September 2019.