Mental wellness is a positive state of mental health. It is essential and needed to help us lead a fulfilling life. However, despite the increased attention on mental health and wellbeing in the workplace in recent years, do people really know what it means?
Everyone is talking about it, from news outlets, to your colleagues and bosses, to your family and so on. Despite the increased attention, many people still live with mental disorders and suffer from psychotic disorders in silence. Why is this so? The Government of Vietnam estimates that approximately 15% of the population requires mental health care services, while independent research suggests that the figure is closer to 20% to 30% (Mah, K, 2018) of the population.
In addition, mental disorders are associated with shame and disgust in this country. This stigma prevents individuals from having healthy discussions on mental health issues. For example, bác sĩ tâm thần refers to a psychiatrist, but directly translates to “doctors who treat madness” in English. This discrimination and cultural taint result in sufferers being less likely to seek help when it is required.
A joint study between UNICEF, Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and The Ministry of Labour also discovered that there has been an increasing number of youths with suicidal tendencies. Indeed, this is a pressing issue especially among Vietnamese youth in the outer provinces where access to mental healthcare services are limited.
Mental health and wellbeing in the workplace is important not just on a personal level, but also to organizations and society. Workers who have better mental health are more productive and are able to generate larger amounts of revenue and profit. Research has shown that being unhappy or unfulfilled by work can result in significant weight gain, a larger number of healthcare appointments and a higher rate of absenteeism. These side effects will definitely affect these workers’ family lives, mental health and work performance, thereby increasing risks for chronic illnesses and heart attacks (Mental Health America, n.d).
So how do we maintain strong mental health and wellbeing in the workplace? Here are some key aspects:
1. Open communication
Having open communication channels is of the utmost importance. A company can start by implementing and incorporating an open culture, where colleagues and workers can openly share their concerns and worries with each other. Moreover, if any of the employees are facing troubling issues, they can share those challenges with each other or share them with the company’s designated counsellor.
Employing a company’s designated counsellor could mean higher costs for the company but it will definitely pay off in the long run and significantly improve wellbeing in the workplace. Workers are constantly facing intense deadlines, workloads and a huge amount of stress. Therefore, having an avenue where they can voice out their concerns and receive some form of social support is an effective and constructive way to reduce stress and avoid unhealthy situations.
2. Work — life balance
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”
With increasing economic growth over the years, there has been a growing focus on the service industry. This means that a greater number of Vietnamese citizens work in high value-added trades such as knowledge-intensive and high technology (Chan A, 2009) industries. With longer work hours, companies need to ensure that work-life balance is not compromised and workers can still get sufficient amounts of rest and play. One example would be the Snack Friday and parties organized for special occasions such as Christmas, New Year and other holidays. This will allow workers to interact with each other, destress and huddle together after work. Hence, this will foster greater interaction, trust and it will help build a stronger relationship amongst workers. It will also reduce stress and allow the employees to perform better at work, which is a crucial component of wellbeing in the workplace.
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3. Regular exercise
Exercising sufficiently is extremely important because of the expansive amount of health benefits. It pumps up your endorphins, improves your mood and lowers symptoms associated with depression and anxiety. (Get moving to manage stress, 2018) Having a regular exercise routine is an effective stress reliever. Companies can enroll their employees in a gym membership and make it mandatory for them to hit the gym at least thrice a week.
Alternatively, companies can conduct weekly classes like yoga and badminton, to encourage their employees to sweat out, bond and reduce stress, which will help them remain mentally and physically healthy. This will definitely keep the morale and mood of the team high and increase the productivity levels of the company.
4. Open feedback channels between employer, managers and employees
More often than not, employer-employee relationships are the main trigger of stress for workers. It is easy to see that when they cannot get along well with each other, conflicts could arise and it could be difficult to work together on projects and campaigns. This will impede the progress of work and culminate in greater stress amongst workers. Hence, we could create some open and anonymous feedback channels for both employer and employees to exchange constructive feedback. This way, the level of understanding between workers can be elevated and any unhappiness can be discussed right away. While a feedback channel is an effective tool to create better relationships, it is not foolproof since employees could take advantage of it and give harsh and hurtful feedback. This will worsen the relationship and generate even more conflicts. So, there needs to be proper safeguards in place to ensure that people do not abuse this system.
5. Productive atmosphere
Having a well-lit, clean and aesthetically-pleasing office with soothing classical music will definitely aid in raising productivity. Employees’ moods will be improved and they will be more energized to work. Moreover, the office needs to have sufficient space so that each employee will have enough room to work and concentrate. Noise levels should also be kept to a minimum and any intense meetings or discussions should take place in a private room. Thus, a productive atmosphere includes having a clean environment, matching colors and pleasing design to produce a cohesive workspace.
In conclusion, mental health wellness is essential and we should not take it for granted. While following the preceding 5 tips does not totally prevent mental health issues or ensure wellbeing in the workplace, these tips do reduce the stress our workers face in the world every day. Stress can come from various sources, including relationship issues, financial constraints and family conflicts. As employees spend large amounts of time in the workplace, employers can definitely do their part and help create a positive difference in their lives. Employees work really hard for the company and their employers would be happy to see them succeed in all aspects of their lives. They can achieve this by building a positive and enriching work environment.
Bibliography
Chan, A. (2009, March 8). Services sector to be new growth engine for Vietnam. Retrieved December 13, 2019, from https://www.amchamvietnam.com/services-sector-to-be-new-growth-engine-for-vietnam/).
Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress. (2018, March 8). Retrieved December 13, 2019, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469.
The JobHopin team