Writer Sydwell Sibongile Mketsu | Published : 22 May 2025| Mketsu and Associates Inc.
The workplace plays a significant role in our overall mental health and wellbeing. A supportive work environment can boost mood, productivity, and job satisfaction, while a toxic or unsupportive one can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. Many professionals silently battle with mental health challenges behind a veil of competence and resilience.
Demanding schedules, long hours, and a culture of perfectionism are common across various sectors, creating fertile ground for burnout and emotional exhaustion. Recent research reveals the gravity of this issue: conservative estimates show that one in four South African employees will be diagnosed with depression during their working lives. Yet only 15% to 25% of those affected seek and receive help.
The economic impact is staggering, with employee absenteeism due to depression costing the South African economy approximately R19- billion annually.
Understanding Workplace Risk Factors
Recognising workplace risks to mental health is the first step toward transforming organisational culture.
These include:
1. Excessive Workload: High job demands, long working hours, and chronic understaffing can quickly lead to burnout.
2. Lack of Control: Micromanagement, unclear job roles, and limited autonomy contribute to frustration and anxiety.
3. Poor Work-Life Balance: Blurred boundaries between personal and professional life can damage relationships and overall well-being.
4. Toxic Work Culture: Bullying, harassment, discrimination, and over-competitiveness foster hostile environments.
The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights these and other factors such as job insecurity and limited support as significant contributors to mental health problems in the workplace.
Practical Strategies for Mental Health Management
For Employers:
1. Implement Organisational Interventions: Provide flexible working options, manage workloads, and foster positive leadership.
2. Promote Mental Health Literacy: Offer training for both managers and employees to raise awareness and reduce stigma.
3. Build a Supportive Culture: Encourage open conversations about mental health and normalise seeking help.
For Employees:
1. Prioritise Self-Care: Engage in regular physical activity, eat healthily, and ensure sufficient rest.
2. Use Relaxation Techniques: Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help manage stress.
3. Set Boundaries: Clearly delineate between work and personal time to maintain a sustainable balance.
Creating a Mentally Healthy Workplace
To build resilient and mentally healthy workplaces, a systemic and inclusive approach is required:
1. Leadership Commitment: Mental health must be integrated into organisational values, policies, and practices.
2. Investment in Well-being: Allocate meaningful resources to support mental health programmes and services.
3. Employee Involvement: Empower staff to participate in decision-making processes related to workplace mental health.
Stigma remains one of the largest barriers to progress. In many cases, employees do not disclose mental health concerns due to fear of judgment or repercussions. A SADAG report found that only one in six employees in South Africa would disclose mental health issues to a manager. However, workplace interventions yield significant returns.
Studies have shown that for every R1 invested in mental health support, companies can expect a return of R4 in improved productivity and reduced absenteeism. By normalising conversations around mental health and fostering environments of empathy and inclusion, we can reshape the workplace into a space that values people as much as performance.
It is time to challenge the myth of the “invincible worker” and replace it with a healthier, more human model of success. A thriving, productive workforce begins with mentally healthy individuals and that requires collective responsibility and sustained commitment.
SYDWELL SIBONGILE MKETSU
Senior Labour and Commercial Lawyer and an Arbitrator at Mketsu and Associates Inc.
Tel: 012 321 0149
Email: sydwell@mketsu.africa
