THE ONCE-CLEAR BOUNDARIES BETWEEN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES HAVE OFTEN BECOME INCREASINGLY BLURRED . CHANGE IN WORK DYNAMICS , FACILITATED BY THE RISE OF REMOTE WORKING , HYBRID OFFICE STRUCTURES , AND POST-PANDEMIC CHANGES , HAVE DRASTICALLY ALTERED HOW WE NAVIGATE BOTH OUR WORK AND PERSONAL SPACES . EACH OF THESE SHIFTS HAVE PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND OVERALL WELL-BEING .
MENTAL HEALTH , TRADITIONALLY VIEWED AS PURELY PERSONAL , HAS EXPANDED TO BECOME A BUSINESS CONCERN . THE THREAD IN THE FABRIC OF AN INDIVIDUAL ' S LIFE HAS TRANSFORMED INTO THE BACKBONE OF AN ORGANISATION , INFLUENCING DIVERSE AREAS FROM PRODUCTIVITY LEVELS AND TEAM DYNAMICS TO THE CORE VALUES OF A COMPANY . WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE BURDENED WITH CHALLENGES LIKE STRESS , ANXIETY , OR DEPRESSION , THEIR CAPABILITY TO REMAIN FOCUSED , MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS , AND FOSTER EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK IS SIGNIFICANTLY COMPROMISED .
THE IMPACT OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES ISN ’ T ISOLATED TO THE INDIVIDUAL . IT CAN HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT , IMPACTING THE LARGER WORKFORCE IN TANGIBLE WAYS , AND THE COLLECTIVE ENVIRONMENT , IN TURN , IMPACTS EACH EMPLOYEE . THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ’ S 2020 STUDY UNVEILED THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS INTERTWINED RELATIONSHIP , DISCLOSING THAT DISORDERS LIKE DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY RESULT IN A STAGGERING ANNUAL USD 1 TRILLION PRODUCTIVITY LOSS ON A GLOBAL SCALE .[ 1 ]
THE CONSTANT EXPOSURE TO HIGH-PRESSURE WORK ENVIRONMENTS CAN RESULT IN CHRONIC STRESS . SUCH SUSTAINED PRESSURE CAN BE THE PRECURSOR TO A HOST OF SEVERE HEALTH CONDITIONS : HEART DISEASES , DIABETES , HYPERTENSION , AND EVEN A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM .[ 2 ] THE UNDENIABLE CORRELATION BETWEEN MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH MAGNIFIES THE CRITICAL ROLE MENTAL WELLNESS PLAYS NOT JUST IN OUR PROFESSIONAL LIVES , BUT IN OUR HOLISTIC WELL-BEING . AND AS WE SPEND A LARGE PORTION OF OUR WAKING HOURS AT WORK , THE MATH IS UNDENIABLE .
EMPLOYERS MUST ACTIVELY PRIORITISE MENTAL HEALTH AND IT MUST INTEGRATE SEAMLESSLY INTO CORPORATE POLICIES , DAILY PRACTICES , AND INGRAINED CULTURE . FACILITATING TRANSPARENT AND OPEN CONVERSATIONS REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH AND ASSOCIATED CHALLENGES ISN ' T MERELY A TREND ; IT HAS BECOME A PRESSING NECESSITY . IT CAN PAVE THE WAY FOR OFFICE OR WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT CREATES EMPATHY , MUTUAL RESPECT , SUPPORT , AND WHERE EMPLOYEES ARE RECOGNISED BEYOND THEIR JOB TITLES AS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISTINCT NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS .
A SUPPORTIVE WORKPLACE ISN ' T ONE THAT MERELY ENCOURAGES OPEN DISCUSSIONS . IT IS ALSO ONE WHERE ALL EMPLOYEES , WHETHER A MANAGER OR AN INTERN , CAN FREELY VOICE THEIR CONCERNS , ANXIETIES , AND SUGGESTIONS WITHOUT JUDGMENT OR CONSEQUENCE . IT REQUIRES ACTIVE AND ATTENTIVE LISTENING FROM EMPLOYERS AND LEADERSHIP . IT CAN ALSO SERVE AS AN EARLY TELL-TALE OF ANY POTENTIAL CHALLENGES WITHIN AN ORGANISATION .