The Link Between Mental Health and Productivity

More and more research points to the correlation between mental health and productivity – not just of individuals but also of work groups or teams. If one person on a team is struggling, that can drag the entire team’s performance down. According to an article by the publishers of the “Employment Law Handbook”: “While an employer may not directly be the cause of their employees’ poor mental health, they are responsible, both morally and legally, for creating a work environment and providing the necessary resources to help employees going through mental health issues.” Common workplace risks to mental health are (1) Discrimination/Harassment, (2) Work-Life Imbalance, (3) Negative Internal Culture, (4) a Lack of Autonomy, (5), Consistently Tight Deadlines, (6) Poor Communication (especially from the top down), and (7) Conflict in the workplace. Potential helps/steps to take include (1), Empathic managers/supervisors, (2) implementing an EAP, (3) Encouraging employees to develop a healthy work-life balance, (4) Ensuring clear communication channels, and (5) Providing mental health training programs and resources. A judicious, moderate investment can go a long way for an organization.