Mental health - more than a buzz word

Burn out. Stressed. Down. These three words are screaming out of most engagement surveys that are coming out in corporates to assess the employees’ mental state for 2024. These surveys are an end of the year assessment to find out what workers are experiencing and feeling and then create strategies to address the challenges.

These surveys are treated with some seriousness in more professional organizations while in the majority of Pakistani companies they may or may not be important depending upon the financial position.

Normally it should be that if the company is making money they should be more inclined to spend on employee well-being. In Pakistani companies it is the opposite.

They feel that if the company is making money, why spend more on employees. It is only when the bottom line shrinks that they bother about what the employees might be going through.

The bad news for corporates due to the business crunch in Pakistan may spell some good tidings for focus on employee engagement. That is why it is an opportunity for the HR department to get some serious attention from the top management. There is a lot of work being done by progressive companies on employee welfare. Many companies are now providing play places and nurseries for working mums.

Others are providing Gym facilities for employees. Some companies are also providing salons that provide massage facilities, etc. However, what is lacking is a comprehensive plan that designs a holistic approach to mental health and employee well-being. For the HR department the real task starts of creating paradigm shifts towards this issue both in the board rooms and in the staff workplaces.

Boardrooms are still in denial of the psycho emotional issues that weave the cultural patterns in an organization. Employee themselves are not aware of the gravity of mental issues and their impact on their performance and life. Thus the organizations need to:

1. Create a top management buy in-If mental health has to be considered somewhat of a priority, the company’s HR must sell some hard numbers to the management. The cost of providing mental health facilities vs the cost of not providing them. World Health Organization (WHO) says that depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. But WHO also found that for every $1 spent on treating common mental health concerns, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity. In organizational studies mental health issues due to toxic cultures and stress cause a lack of engagement and productivity. On the other hand, research also shows that nearly 86% of employees treated for depression report improved work performance. And in some studies, treatment of depression has been shown to reduce absenteeism and presenteeism by 40 to 60 percent.

2. Create a baseline study of the state of the organizational mental health- Some companies do engagement surveys most do not. Even those who do are doing engagement surveys are not really measuring mental health in particular. Make sure that whatever employee satisfaction assessment tools are being used, they contain some specific mental health questions. The repeat of that survey six monthly or yearly will reveal the effectiveness of the mental health initiatives.

3. Understand the real causes of stress/disengagement- Wherever needed carry out some employee focus groups to find out what are the main stressors for the employees. This closing on the exact nature of mental pressure will help design initiatives that are more relevant and impactful.

4. Create mental health awareness and training programmes- The stigma attached to mental health makes most people hesitant to accept and talk about it. To break that taboo companies need to create awareness programmes on the warning signals. People need to be made aware of how important it is for their work and home life to take care of their mental health. It is important to teach them some self-help strategies and techniques that they can use for immediate stress release.

5. Develop annual checkups and health scans- Companies need to ensure that their health care plans include annual check-ups for employees that include all vitals to be checked. The brain being perhaps the most important vital needs to be a priority. These checks will not cost too much if a careful health and medical insurance plan is made.

6. Associate with mental help help lines- Many organizations, especially in the non-profit sector, are offering mental health help. The company needs to connect and collaborate with them to provide official patronage for people needing some private advice. The information and their confidentiality need to be communicated and shared with employees for them to have the confidence of approaching them.

7. Provide coaching, therapy, counseling facilities- For professional help organizations have proper executive coaches on their panel who work with management to address issues of toxicity in a particular department. Usually, it is the top management or head of the departments who many times creates atmosphere where free working is not possible. Such departments then need external intervention and one-to-one coaching sessions of the leaders whose behaviour needs alignment. Similarly, the employees of these departments who are displaying erratic performance can also avail therapist help as provided by the company.

8. Ensure physical activities are part of their routine- Most organizations provide gym facilities for some levels of their executives. Every study proves that physical exercise has immense mental health benefits. Exercise directly releases dopamine and other mood enhancement chemicals. Companies who have a mental well-being department need to run campaigns on how exercise improves quality of life. They need to develop incentive plans for people to join walks and bicycling, etc., activities during lunch hour, etc. Regular lectures by nutrionists and fitness experts should be held to encourage active and fit life styles. In a Pakistani company recently Zumba classes are being held for females to enjoy and exercise.

9. Develop a yoga, mindfulness hour– The mind needs calmness amidst the storms of the home and office. Any activity that encourages mental peace like yoga needs to be a part of the organizational well-being plan. Also there needs to be a mandatory mindfulness 15 minute exercise to soothe your day. This can be an online facility that is built in the system of the company where all employees are asked to link and do the mindful peace thinking at the start of the day. These activities need to be part of the standard operating procedures of every employee.

It is mind over body. You may spend millions on bonuses and increments and yet not be able to spark the mind if it is blocked, fogged and choked. Organizations need to invest in the mental health of their workforce. Remember, if your mind’s eye cannot see, no amount of fancy lights will take away the darkness.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025