If you have ever searched anything around mental health like “why mental health is important?” you probably found a series of dizzying information, but before you ever keyed in the first letters of that question, you already knew the answer, didn’t you?
At a gut level, we know mental health is important and we know why.
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You or someone you care about is struggling….
Mental health is important because it’s personal….
Mental health is important for overall-wellbeing...
One such aspect is mental health at workplace.
Why is workplace mental health important?
"We live and work, often in the same space. Then, isn't it only natural that we bring our emotions into work and vice-versa?" 72% employers say stress and burnout are concerns for their organization and 84% of the employees experience at least one mental health challenge in the recent past according to a study conducted by Metlife, November 2021.
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Whose responsibility, is it?
Mental health has become a growing concern at the workplace since the pandemic began. Gone are the days when it was just a tick in the box. It’s at the top of the mind for everyone these days as it has turned out to be a necessity and no longer good to have one.
"Whose responsibility, is it? The leaders? The employees? But aren't we all?
Each of us play a vital role in driving well-being at every sector of our life. A leader is an enabler of emotional well-being services at workplace and we all ought to drive it together being an ally.
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I believe that modelling is an important form of support and advocacy in driving mental health and emotional well-being at workplace. It starts from the top of the hierarchy which enables modelling of transparency and extend the reachability.
How can I be an ally?
If one of your co-workers has returned to work after fractured leg, there is less room to think twice about the support that you would extend in making their life comfortable at work. We are unsure when it comes to helping someone with a mental health concern.
Simple yet effective – Having the right knowledge helps us to listen to someone who is going through an emotional distress. Being empathetic, compassionate and with a non-judgemental attitude can help us, help someone in need of that support. I have learned and understood being with 1to1help serving around 800+ customers PAN India, about the amount of people in need of help and the number of people with the urge to help someone is insurmountable.
While allyship is important and the need of the hour, equally is taking care of yourself. This can make a huge difference to your mental health - at work and beyond. These are also aspects of your life that you have more control over than many things. The more effort you put into self-care, the better you’ll feel and greater the allyship.
