A recent discussion on JoyFM has highlighted the importance of employers establishing and nurturing supportive work environments to protect the mental well-being of their employees.

According to a Senior Clinical Psychologist at Trust Hospital, Eric Owusu Kumi, various factors within the workplace can significantly impact an individual's mental health.

He specifically highlighted issues such as challenging supervisors, abusive language, instances of sexism, and the use of derogatory comments as contributors to the decline in employees' mental well-being.

“For instance you have a difficult boss, very difficult, and he wants only his ideas to happen, but like he said we’re human beings, every human being is independent, we have capacity to generate thoughts, ideas and then pursue them.

“And so if anytime I generate an idea and then my boss throws it away into the trash and to the extent that some bosses can insult you, use abusive words and then sometimes when you’re a female the chance that you’ll not be regarded when even you want to contribute at work.

“There are instances where somebody can tell a female subordinate that ‘but you you belong to the kitchen’ they can even ask ‘have you finished giving birth before you want to contribute these ideas?’ this can also affect the mental health quality of people at the workplace,” he said.

Furthermore, Mr Kumi emphasized that the discrimination and stigmatization of employees who are known to have mental health issues can exacerbate their conditions, potentially leading to a severe deterioration in their mental well-being.

“So for instance somebody displays some psychotic behaviour, he behaves ‘funny’ or ‘abnormally’. Everybody at the workplace sees the person, so the person is taken for treatment, he comes back and everybody begins to react, respond and do things differently with that person. That will affect that person’s mental health. So even though the person is on very good medication to make him active and purposeful…[it still affects him],” he said.

Mr Kumi stressed the importance of a supportive approach in such situations, encouraging employers and colleagues to provide assistance and understanding to individuals dealing with mental health challenges. He emphasized that further discrimination could have detrimental effects on the individual's mental well-being, potentially leading to a breakdown.

Adding to the discussion was Dr. Isaac Newman Arthur, a Senior Medical Officer and Clinical Psychologist. Dr. Arthur advised that employers should adopt a personalized approach when dealing with their employees to avoid placing undue pressure on them.

He explained that every individual possesses unique capabilities and limitations, and it is essential for employers to recognize and understand these aspects for each staff member. By doing so, employers can set tailored objectives that align with the capabilities and limitations of each team member.

“We have some people based on their own childhood growth and experiences, they can actually withstand a lot of stress and pressure, others can’t. So some responsibilities may be a headache for one staff and not necessarily be a headache for another staff. And that is why in dealing with staff you need to be individualised in your approach. You can’t say that ‘oh, we’re all doing the same thing so why are you complaining?’ we’re all different,” he explained.

Dr. Arthur also promoted the cultivation of positive workplace relationships as a means of enhancing the mental well-being of employees. He highlighted that healthy workplace relationships can serve as effective stress relievers.

“You know, you’re excited coming to work because you’re going to have people you care about, who you have a very good relationship with at work. So in your office if everybody around, the relationship is not too good, it affects everything else. That in itself becomes stressful,” he said.

He further stressed on the need for a good workplace setting.

In his perspective, Dr. Arthur underscored that the aesthetic appeal, ambiance, and overall visual aspects of a workplace can exert a significant influence on the mental well-being of employees and their overall productivity.

“Imagine going to a certain work environment where the door flips open before you step in, you go there are nice paintings and colours, there’s everything, the offices are very, very nice they even have a small lounge where you can go sit when you’re tired, they have a small kitchenette, you know all those things even the painting and arrangement in the office and how things are done - so the aesthetics the arrangements and everything that is at the workplace significantly affects a person’s mental wellbeing. And usually we don’t look at that, even the flowers and all the paintings have a way of helping,” he said.