World Day for Safety and Health at Work: Mental Health at Workplace

“When safety is first, you last.”

Handsome salaries, perks, and fancy designations are undoubtedly the stuff that we look for in any job. But perhaps a safe and secure workplace is equally crucial if not more. Every year on April 28th, World Day for Safety and Health at Work is celebrated which promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally. It is to spread awareness of the enormity of the problem and to create a safety and health culture that can help reduce the number of work-related injuries and deaths. Interestingly, it coincides with Workers’ Memorial Day. 

The International Labour Organisation started celebrating World Day for Safety and Health at Work in 2003. The theme of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work is ‘act together to build a positive safety and health culture’. This theme encourages workplaces to adopt a strong workplace health and safety culture where everyone contributes to a safe and healthy working environment. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic for the last two years, we have witnessed a strong Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) system including the combined effort of the government, employers’, and workers’ organizations, public health workers, and all other relevant parties. This contribution has been vital in protecting and safeguarding the well-being of the workers. Moreover, social dialogue has played a crucial role in this. Proper safety and health measures at the place of work can play a critical role in containing the spread of diseases, while also protecting workers and society at large. 

Steps an Employer Should Take at Workplace

To ensure that the work premises provide a safe and healthy place of work, an employer should:

1. Make sure the workplace is properly ventilated, with clean and fresh air 
2. Keep the workplace and equipment clean 
3. Prevent risks to health 
4. Make sure plant and machinery are safe to use 
5. Make sure safe working practices are set up and followed 
6. Set up emergency plans 
7. Make sure that ventilation, temperature, lighting, toilet, washing, and other facilities, all meet health, safety, and welfare requirements 
8. Prevent and control exposure to substances that may damage a worker’s health 

Steps an Employee Should Take at Workplace

Like an employer, an employee should know their responsibilities for their own well-being and that of their colleagues: 

1. To take reasonable care for your own health and safety 
2. To get proper training and understand as well as follow the company’s health and safety policies 
3. Use safety provisions correctly 
4. Co-operate and promote their colleagues to follow rules

Safety Activities to Conduct on World Day for Safety and Health at Work

There are various activities that can be conducted at the place of work to spread awareness and convey information about World Day for Safety and Health. Some activities that can make safety training fun are: 

1. A safety-selfie photo contest, wherein employees take pictures of themselves next to safety equipment at the workplace and vote for their favorites towards the end of the day. 

2. A group of employees giving a presentation about how to use equipment properly and then going through it again, this time leaving out some information. This can be followed by organizing a contest for the most attentive employee who points out the missing information and gets a prize. 

3. A team activity where employees form groups and conduct a quiz contest where they ask other teams questions like what piece of equipment, if not used properly can cause what type of injury and what safety measures to take if a said injury happens, etc. and a lot of points for the same.  

Mental Health at Workplace

Mental health includes a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It fluctuates as circumstances change and as we move through different stages of life. 

Safety and security at the place of work are crucial but what’s equally important is mental health. The pandemic has hit our lives badly and people are experiencing many organizational challenges. While work from home opportunity has been a boon for many, workers are also experiencing many organizational changes, reduced work opportunities, fear of losing their jobs, big layoffs, unemployment, and decreased financial stability. All these and many other factors are ultimately affecting mental health and well-being. 

Other factors that affect mental health at the place of work are increased competition, higher performance expectations, long working hours, etc. Work-related stress is seen as a global issue affecting all countries, professions, and workers. A study led by WHO, showed that an estimated 264 million people, globally, suffer from depression, with many of these also suffering from anxiety. 

A toxic work environment can be vicious to our mental health. There are many factors responsible for poor mental health in the workplace. Just as unemployment hits us hard, toxicity at the place of work is harmful too. These mental health problems lead to harmful use of substances or alcohol, lost productivity and poor work-performance, poor communication, limited participation, etc. 

According to a survey commissioned by mental wellness company Modern Health and conducted by Forrester Consulting, shows a third of employees might change jobs to save their mental health. 

According to another recent study, 50% of Millennials and 75% of Gen-Zers quit a job due to issues related to mental health. While this study focuses on these two generations, in particular, mental health issues affect all types of people. Evidence strongly suggests that workplaces with high levels of mental well-being are more productive. 

Organizations that promote mental health and support their employees are more likely to witness increased productivity, better communication, and better decision-making on part of employees, to name a few. Employers should promote awareness about the Importance of Mental Health and Stress Management at the place of work. 

Some steps employers can include are:

1. Make mental health assessment tools available to employees 
2. Offer health insurance with low or no out-of-pocket costs for depression and other mental health-related problems 
3. Make social support networks available for employees 
4. Host seminars/workshops that teach and practice mindfulness, meditation, breathing exercises, etc. to help employees reduce stress and anxiety and improve focus and motivation 
5. Conduct anonymous surveys to understand the attitude and state of mind of employees.

Conclusion

Today, when we are surrounded by so many concerns in our lives, a healthy and happy workplace can do wonders for our careers. It will not only make the employees rich in positivity and well-being but will also boost the companies’ bottom line. This World Day for Safety and Health at Work, let us promote a healthy work environment.