Mental health and well-being in the workplace
To take care of yourself and each other in a busy everyday life
Mental health is not the absence of problems, but the ability to handle the demands of everyday life, enter into relationships and contribute to the community. At the workplace, our well-being is affected by both tasks, management, colleagues and our own situation.
§The Balance Between Demands and Resources
A central way of thinking is the balance between the demands we face and the resources we have to handle them. Demands can be time pressure, technical complexity or emotionally demanding situations. Resources can be influence over own work, support from colleagues and clear management. When demands exceed resources over a longer period, there is risk of stress.
Signs of distress
- 01Sleep problems and persistent fatigue
- 02Irritability or withdrawal from colleagues
- 03Concentration difficulties and more errors than normal
- 04Physical signs such as headache or unease
§The shared responsibility
Well-being is both individual and collective concern. Individual can work with breaks sleep movement and boundaries. Workplace can work with clear expectations reasonable workload and culture where it is okay to speak up. Work environment organization and representative have special role here
§The mentor's role
A mentor is a more experienced colleague who supports a new person or apprentice — professionally and personally. The mentor listens advises and helps find footing but does not take over the responsibility. Good mentoring is built on trust availability and the ability to ask questions rather than just giving answers.
A workplace that talks openly about wellbeing not only gets happier employees — it also retains knowledge and experience, because fewer burn out or leave the profession.