Importance of mental well-being at workplace

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Mental well-being in the workplace refers to the well-being of employees in all aspects of life: psychological, emotional and social, within a shared work environment. It is the positive state of mind that an employee experiences in their daily work life. As a person spends most of their day in the workplace, it is extremely important to have good mental health so that you can have respect for yourself and others, build positive relationships with co-workers, and deal with challenges. daily challenges and responsibilities involved in your job.

With ongoing challenges and changes, organizations are adopting mental wellness programs for their employees to create more holistic growth and development. Employee wellness is beneficial to both employees and management as it leads not only to better organizational performance but, more importantly, to people who are happier and able to contribute well while taking care of themselves. comprehensively. Positive employee mental health is known to reduce absenteeism and employee turnover. Success at work is measured by meeting productivity goals, experiencing financial gains, completing projects on time, and feeling satisfied with work life. Ensuring the well-being of employees is beneficial for the organization, as a mentally happy employee can cope with stress, work productively, reach their full potential and contribute positively to society in general.

Organizations face multiple challenges when their employees are mentally unwell and suffer from various mental health issues. About 71% of adults have reported at least one symptom of stress, such as chronic fatigue, frequent headaches, feeling overwhelmed, anxiety, or panic episodes. When an employee suffers from emotional, mental, or physical illness, he or she is likely to underperform and be unable to meet the professional demands of the job. These symptoms can cause burnout, which are caused by feeling powerless or out of control at work, unclear or overly demanding job expectations, unchallenging work assignment, or an environment that is high-pressure and chaotic. The problem is exacerbated when, as a society, there is a stigma attached to seeking help for these mental health issues.

A 2021 study in India revealed that more than 36% of people surveyed were experiencing mental health problems and 50% were worried about an uncertain future due to rapid changes resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. Such numbers suggest that organizations need to address the mental health of their employees and provide a solution that can effectively address their issues.

Large organizations are adopting Mindfulness programs to facilitate better mental health among their workers, both from the perspective of taking preventive measures and helping those who cannot express their mental health problem. But what is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is generally described as the state of being, in which focus or attention is focused on what is happening in the present moment, i.e. thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, impulses, and the environment, without judgment or interpret it unnecessarily. Mindfulness can be described as ‘present-focused awareness’, which suggests that a mindful person does not dwell on the past or worry about the future, thus creating patterns of stress and anxiety. They are simply present in the HERE and NOW. Mindfulness, as a practice, allows one to observe the internal and external moment, which increases self-awareness about the response one may have instead of reacting without thinking. As a result, being aware results in a better understanding of oneself, which gives one the option to take wise action and make a wise decision.

According to scientific research, mindfulness is a key element in reducing stress and increasing an individual’s overall happiness and well-being. Therefore, organizations that are regularly introducing mindfulness programs in the workplace have witnessed a significant improvement in the physical and psychological health of employees. The ripple effect of mindfulness includes a variety of additional benefits: positive work relationships, increased resilience, better task performance, better decision-making skills, better job satisfaction, work motivation, better stress management, more focus and concentration , increased employee engagement and and increased ability to cope with change.

The evidence-based and neuroscience-backed mindfulness programs that are now available in India have several added benefits in the workplace, due to their positive impact on the mental and physical well-being of an individual. When something challenging happens at work, a conscientious employee will not react and jump to conclusions. Instead, they will analyze the situation, constructively think of a solution that will be effective and create a positive impact on the organization. Mindfulness is therefore an important skill that organizations need to cultivate and invest in to improve the quality of work and create a positive and effective workplace for times to come.

A conscious and happy workforce is the need of the hour and organizations in India need to start investing in the mental well-being of their employees.

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