Mental health within the work context has emerged as an emerging problem affecting employees’ efficiency, participation, and well-being. Since organizations today continue to pay attention to employees’ mental health, there is a gradual improvement in psychologically safe work environments.
Some of the common mental health challenges affecting employees include stress, anxiety, and depression that may be triggered by job demands that include working pressure and production deadlines. Such problems can result in lower output, more extended sick leaves, and higher staff turnover rates, negatively impacting organizational profits. Hence, managing a mentally healthy workplace does not only lack legal exemptions, which would justify employers not having to do it; it is, in fact, a wise business policy.
IOSH Legal and Ethical Responsibilities of Employers
Under IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health)code, iosh working safely the employer must evaluate risks to the employee’s mental health similarly to their physical health. This concern involves finding potential stressors, ensuring that employees are provided with appropriate means to cope with stress, and ensuring they are free to report issues relating to mental health. The IOSH also stipulates that mental health issues should be incorporated into the overall occupational health management policies, and these should not be reactive measures.
Also, MHFA stands for Mental Health First Aid, which offers guidelines for organizations helping employees with mental health problems. MHFA empowers employees with knowledge on how to assess, approach, and support individuals who might be going through a mental health problem.
This training is mandatory for developing the right culture and guaranteeing that employees can get help whenever it is needed. Mental Health First Aid Refresher training is also required more often so that employees are updated and responsive enough to support their colleagues. Refresher courses are beneficial in retaining the skills and knowledge needed by healthcare consumers to deliver responsive mental healthcare support, hence the organization’s reminder for mental healthcare.
The Role of Safety Representatives in Promoting Mental Well-being
Safety representatives’ responsibilities are to ensure mental health support at the workplace. They are the middlemen between employees and the management, providing the much-needed push on the issue of mental health. These may sometimes require coming up with potential risks to mental health, including working hours, intimidation, or lack of reinforcement, and then engaging management to find solutions on the same. Safety representatives also have a significant role in the development of a well-being culture as they help people share the problems they face concerning their mental condition without any prejudice.
With all these changing situations, safety representatives are mandated to demand mental health programs, conduct assessments, and train mental health first aid personnel to suit the workforce. Thus, safety representatives play an essential role in developing occupational health and working conditions by promoting a favorable organizational culture regarding the mental well-being of the employees in addition to their physical safety.
Final Thoughts
Organizational occupational psychological well-being is not a monodimensional task and demands more than passive compliance from managers and employees, particularly safety representatives. By following the guidelines of IOSH and MHFA, offering MHFA refresher training, and creating an encouraging organizational culture, it is possible to greatly enhance the employee’s current state of mental health.
