World Mental Health Day 2017

October 10 is World Mental Health Day. This year, the theme for World Mental Health Day is mental health in the workplace, asking us to think about our wellbeing at work and the impact our working life has on our mental health.

Mental health and work

With 50% of our waking hours spent at work, it’s important to consider the impact our jobs have on our mental health, since we spend so much of our time there. Going to work can have a positive impact on our overall wellbeing, but if we have a negative working environment, it can contribute to poor physical and mental health.

Many people who feel their workload is too heavy, who may be bullied in the workplace, or who don’t feel they have the opportunity to switch off from work can experience stress and burnout, which will take a toll on both your physical and mental health.

People suffering from anxiety or depression may find going into work increasingly difficult, and this can lead to a decrease in productivity along with an increase in absenteeism.

In order to have a motivated and productive workforce, employers need to develop a workplace wellbeing strategy and encourage their employees to be open about their mental health.

Creating a healthy workplace

There are a number of steps both employees and employers can take to create a more positive workplace for everyone. See our articles below for ways that you can look after your wellbeing at work.

Take a look at these articles on workplace wellbeing:

• 5 steps to workplace wellbeing

• Work/life balance

• Stress at work

• What is workplace mediation?

• Maintaining a healthy work/life balance

• Have a healthy workplace!

• Getting enough sleep when working irregular hours

• Dealing with issues in the workplace

• Need some work motivation?

• Tips to survive working in a call centre

• I hate my job

• Bullying at Work

• Discrimination