Prioritising Mental Health: Understanding and Addressing Workplace Stressors
What are some Workplace Stressors?
Workplace stressors in our work environment can cause stress, anxiety, and other negative effects on our mental health. These can include heavy workloads, tight deadlines, interpersonal conflicts, and lack of support or resources. As employers, it’s our responsibility to identify and address these stressors to create a healthy and productive work environment for our employees.
One common workplace stressor is workload. Many employees are expected to do more with less, leading to longer working hours, less time for self-care and relaxation, and an increased risk of burnout. Companies should look into ways to streamline processes, prioritise tasks, and provide additional support to address this when excessive workload is a stressor.
Interpersonal conflicts can also be a major source of workplace stress. When employees feel unsupported or experience bullying or harassment, it can significantly impact their mental health. Companies should be able to provide guidance on conflict resolution and consistently encourage open communication, whilst ensure that workplace policies are clear and supportive.
Lack of support or resources can also contribute to workplace stress. This can include inadequate training or tools, insufficient staffing levels, or a lack of opportunities for professional development. By providing a talent pathway and support developing and learning, companies can help reduce stress and improve their mental health and wellbeing. Also, promoting communication and foresting relationships between teams is a strong viariable on wellbeing when the sense of community is reinforced.
Many people with mental health issues suffer in silence and therefore it is vital to keep the doors of communication open to ensure that employees feel safe to talk. A good line manager and a leadership team with an open door policy goes a long way in the wellbeing of employees. Also an appointed and trained Mental Health Champion can be crucial in driving initiatives and policies to reinforce a healthy workplace environment.
In conclusion, workplace stressors can significantly impact our mental health and wellbeing. As employers, we must identify and address these stressors to create a healthy and productive work environment. By prioritising mental health and wellbeing during Mental Health Awareness Week and beyond and encouraging communication, we can maintain a workplace that supports the mental health of all our employees.