Chronic stress in work life can sometimes exceed coping mechanisms and lead to deterioration of mental health. Both the employer and the employee have important duties in managing stress in the workplace. According to experts, employers should provide a suitable and peaceful working environment, while employees should be able to manage their time and create an order of urgency and importance.
With the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, October 10 has been celebrated as "World Mental Health Day" every year since 1992. This year's theme of World Mental Health Day, whose primary goal is to raise public awareness about mental health and to emphasize the promotion of preventive studies and treatment services against mental disorders in this process, was determined as "mental health in the workplace".
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Psychiatry Specialist Asst. Assoc. Prof. Emre Tolun Arıcı drew attention to the importance of mental health in business life.
Stating that work and family life are the leading environmental factors affecting people's mental health, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Tolun Arıcı said, "Chronic stress in these areas, even at mild severity, causes deterioration of mental health by exceeding coping mechanisms. We spend most of our day at workplaces. It affects a significant part of our lives both directly and indirectly."
Noting that a good and satisfying job not only provides the necessary material resources to meet our needs, but also makes us feel spiritually adequate and strengthens our problem-solving mechanisms, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Tolun Arıcı said, "However, stress in the workplace can cause employees to be demotivated, unhappy, feel worthless, inadequate, attention problems, insomnia, pain, anger, burnout and even serious psychiatric illnesses. Depression is the most common of these illnesses. In addition, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders, somatization, smoking and alcohol addiction may also develop, and existing psychiatric diseases may worsen."
Negativities in the workplace affect mental health
Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Tolun Arıcı said:
"Employees often experience mental health problems due to negativities in the workplace. For example, overtime shifts, intense work with time or target pressure, lack of job description, mobbing, not meeting career and financial expectations, fear of being fired are the leading causes of stress in the workplace. Apart from these, jobs with difficult, dangerous or risky conditions can also cause stress, such as mining, police work, and health workers exposed to violence.
Problems in private life are also effective
Problems arising from the employees themselves can also cause mental health problems in the workplace. Family problems may affect them or they may have difficulties due to their personality structure. Competitive, perfectionist, overly responsible, anxious, and hypersensitive personality types may be burdened with more stress."
In Turkey, career choices are not in line with skills and interests due to the education system, family guidance and inadequate information. In addition, widespread unemployment makes people feel helpless and causes them to continue working even if they are not suitable for that job. These problems reduce the motivation of employees and cause them to work unhappily."
Stating that family and social life and business life are in intense interaction, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Tolun Arıcı said, "We witness that mental problems in business life continue outside of work. Not being able to enjoy life in general, unhappiness, not wanting to socialize, intolerance to family, arguments, continuing to think about work-related problems at home, not being able to devote enough time to the family due to long shifts, feeling insufficient insecurity in the workplace, disrupting family and friend relationships are common situations."
Duties of the employer
Noting that employers have important duties to protect the mental health of their employees, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Tolun Arıcı listed them as follows:
1. Providing a suitable working environment. A safe working environment with comfortable physical conditions, providing a comfort zone for people, will increase motivation.
2. Preventing mobbing, establishing good communication between employees
3. Not ignoring mental problems, ensuring contact with mental health professionals, preventing stigmatization. When psychiatric illnesses are left untreated, they will lead to decreased productivity, loss of workforce and increased work accidents.
4. Having a regular psychologist/psychiatrist at the workplace.
To cope with stress at work
Assist.Assoc.Prof. Dr. Emre Tolun Arıcı also made the following suggestions for employees to cope with work stress:
1. Regular sleep and nutrition
2. Spending enough time with family and friends
3. Doing sports, taking up a hobby
4. Good time management at work, establishing an order of urgency and importance
5. Saying no when necessary, delegating tasks
6. Establishing good relationships at work, sharing work-related problems
7. Taking breaks, taking time off, getting enough rest when necessary
8. Recognize personal factors and seek psychological support
9. It is important to consult a psychiatrist when necessary.
Underlying problems must be addressed
Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Tolun Arıcı stated that strengthening people's coping mechanisms, treating depression or burnout will enable some problems to disappear and some to produce useful solutions and warned that "For this reason, it is absolutely necessary to get help by not accepting work stress".