Breaking the Stigma: Normalising Conversations Around Mental Health at Workplace
Today, mental health challenges impact millions of working people worldwide, yet the stigma against these issues persists, preventing open and honest conversations about them.
Silence about the realities of mental health at workplace can lead to feelings of shame, isolation and a reluctance to seek help.
The recent incident at EY is a grim reminder of the consequence of bad work culture and stressful work hours and its impact on mental well-being.
As leaders of organisations, it’s imperative to foster a supportive environment that encourages open discussions, understanding, and support.
In this blog, we — the leading provider of adult counselling services in Mumbai – will explore how can set the right example for your peers and set into motion a culture of support and mental well-being at your workplace.
The Power of Leading By Example
The best way to create openness about mental health at the workplace is to practice it yourself. Leaders who frankly discuss their experiences construct an environment where employees feel more comfortable sharing their own struggles.
More importantly, when executives are open about their personal challenges, there’s also an opportunity to share strategies that have helped them cope with their issues.
This establishes two things:
- Employees can now relate to you as a leader and have actionable advice that can help them overcome their challenges.
- You normalise workplace conversations around mental well-being, encouraging transparent conversations about mental challenges.
At the end of the day, if leaders are brave enough to share their mental issues, it opens doors for your employees to say, ‘I do too.’
That opens up employees’ willingness to talk about it.
Avoiding a Culture of Shame
Breaking down stigmas related to mental health is a challenging feat. One good place to start inculcating the virtues of acceptance in the company culture. A judgmental and dismissive culture is one of the biggest obstacles to normalising conversations about mental health at workplace.
It’s the feeling that people will look differently at you if you open up about your problems.
To overcome these fears, leaders should intentionally build spaces for discussion around mental health at both organizational and individual levels.
It should be made clear at policy (and practice) level that mental health is as essential as physical health in the workplace, and carries the same importance and gravity.
Moreover, at the organisation level, you can provide mental health days, wellness programs, and other forms of support. You can also collaborate with a psychologist in India who will regularly visit the workplace and create space for open conversation and therapy.
Of course, the onus doesn’t completely fall on the leaders. It starts with everybody.
Education and Awareness – That’s How You Break the Stigma of Mental Health at Workplace
Normalising conversations around mental health at the workplace is now more important than ever, given the stressful, burnout-inducing nature of current work.
To support employees’ mental health, organisations must prioritise a culture of understanding, empathy, and openness. This includes access to mental health resources, leading by example, and encouraging conversations about mental health in the workplace.
We at Faculty Minds can help you in this noble endeavour. We have dedicated employee assistance programs and adult counselling experts who can help you create a culture of transparency and openness and also help distressed employees on a case-by-case basis.
Connect with us today and take a step in the right direction!
