A report on Mental Wellbeing at Work by The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) highlights:
Work has an important role in promoting mental wellbeing. It is an important determinant of self-esteem and identity. It can provide a sense of fulfillment and opportunities for social interaction … work can also have negative effects on mental health, particularly in the form of stress.
Working environments that pose risks for mental and physical wellbeing put high demands on a person, without giving them sufficient control and support to manage those demands. A perceived imbalance between the effort required and the rewards of the job can lead to stress. A sense of injustice and unfairness arising from management processes or personal relationships can also increase stress and risks to mental health.
Most people spend a great deal of their life at work. Some find their work and working environment satisfying and rewarding and benefit from a sense of achievement. Many however, find themselves in difficult situations that are far from ideal and this often leads to stress.
How we manage stress varies from person to person. It can take many forms and build up over time. With some people it results in physical ill-health, in others a loss of self-confidence. Some people are unable to maintain control when stressed and this can lead to other problems for both the individual concerned and other people around them.
None of this is good for business – the impact of stress can affect performance and productivity and damage morale and staff retention. Thankfully there is much an employer can do to support employees.
New Leaf’s range of Workplace Wellbeing services can help individuals explore their problems in a confidential, non-judgmental way, helping individuals see issues more clearly and work through feelings and thoughts in a way that brings clarity to the difficulties affecting the individual.