Healthy staff means healthy profits
ORGANISATIONS need to consider work-related stress and psychosocial risks as part of their safety and health strategy to reduce accidents and injuries in the workplace.
Employers should be responsible for implementing plans to prevent or reduce
psychosocial risks, enabling their employees to play their part and create a healthy psychosocial work environment.
Managing stress and psychosocial risks at work will create a healthy work environment in which workers feel valued and the workplace culture is more positive and, consequently, productivity and business performance improves.
Although many factors contribute to workers’ mental health and wellbeing, there is increasing evidence that the workplace environment makes a significant contribution to it.
In a good psychosocial environment, work can be beneficial for workers’ mental health, giving them a greater sense of social inclusion, identity and status, opportunities for development and increased confidence.
Conversely, a poor psychosocial work environment can have significant negative effects on workers’ health.
There are five categories of health hazards in the workplace: physical, chemical, biological, ergonomics and psychosocial. Stress falls under psychosocial.
As workers spend one-third of their day in the office, workplace issues are one of the major contributors to depression. However, it is often overlooked, especially by employers.
Employees may not recognise the symptoms, especially if they are suffering from a mild form of depression, such as burnout and dysthymia.
The impact of mental health problems on workers, their families and society is immense and needs to be addressed.
It is important to ensure the happiness and wellbeing of workers and their families through initiatives to promote mental health in the workplace.
These issues should be given due attention as the productivity of the staff depends on their mental health.
Employers must be aware that the neglect of mental health and psychosocial factors is not only detrimental to workers but also affects productivity, efficiency and output of organisations.
Employee performance, frequent illness, absenteeism, accidents and staff turnover are affected by employees’ mental health.
Issues related to mental health can have an impact on workplace stakeholders, including employers, customers and communities in which organisations are located.
No workplace is immune to mental disorders and their impact in psychological, social and economic terms is high.
Mental health should no longer be ignored.
It should be given adequate attention in relation to other business in organisations.
Mental health must not be overlooked when discussing occupational safety and health issues in the workplace.
Workplace health promotion is essential and it requires the combined efforts of employers, employees and government to improve the health and wellbeing of people at work.
The workplace influences the physical, mental, economic and social wellbeing of workers and, in turn, the health of their families, communities and society.
The concept of workplace health promotion (WHP) is becoming increasingly relevant as more private and public organisations recognise that future success in a globalising marketplace can be achieved only with a healthy, qualified and motivated workforce.
The implementation of WHP can ensure a flexible and dynamic balance between customer expectations and organisational targets on the one hand and employees’ skills and health needs on the other, which can assist companies and work organisations to compete in the marketplace.
For nations, the development of WHP will be a prerequisite for sustainable social and economic development.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE, Chairman, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor
Source : New Straits Times Online
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