ON average, almost 90,000 hours – or one-third – of your life will be spent at work or in an office.
That’s a large chunk of our lifetime, and it is why we must be able to cultivate a good work environment for ourselves.
However, research has shown that many of us experience various stressors at work, which, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), include bullying and harassment.
And this is negatively impacting our mental health.
According to the WHO, 15% of working-age adults worldwide were estimated to have a mental disorder in 2019. In Malaysia, a 2018 survey by mental health organisation Relate Malaysia found that 29% of workers reported poor mental health conditions.
This phenomenon is not just detrimental to the individual employee: WHO estimates that globally, 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at the cost of US$1 trillion (RM4.22 trillion) in lost productivity.
As such, the WHO has united with partners such as the World Federation for Mental Health to highlight the vital connection between mental health and work for this year’s World Mental Health Day on Oct 10, which is themed “It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace”.
The focus on mental health in the workplace is timely, as recently a specialist doctor in Lahad Datu Hospital, Sabah, allegedly took her own life; her family claim it was due to bullying in the workplace.
This tragic incident has reignited public discourse in Malaysia over the state of employees’ mental health in the workplace and safeguarding against bullying and harassment.
Workplace bullying can have “profound and detrimental” effects on an employee’s mental health, asserts Dr Saw Jo Anne, a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at Universiti Teknologi Mara.
“Past research has consistently shown that workplace bullying is related to an employee’s mental health. It can lead to stress, anxiety and depression.
“Employees who are bullied often experience a constant state of being fearful or feeling on edge while interacting with the bully.
“This may create a persistent state of stress and anxiety which may impact their overall well- being,” she says.
Victims of workplace bullying might also isolate themselves because they fear further negative interactions or confrontations, which can exacerbate feelings of loneliness. This can then erode their confidence, leading them to doubt their abilities and self-worth.
“Over time, this creates a vicious cycle of low motivation, poor job efficiency, low enthusiasm and feelings of despair,” Saw explains.
The mental health effects from the workplace run the risk of spilling over to the employee’s home life as well, she adds.
“This eventually leads to disequilibrium in the family’s well-being where maladaptive coping mechanisms with negative thoughts and emotions are brought home. This may jeopardise the employee’s friendships or relationships as a sequelae of bullying.”
Addressing negative workplace culture
Bullying in the workplace is not as straightforward as one may think either.
Yelling at someone or physical violence are common perceptions of what constitutes bullying, but it goes deeper than that.
Dr Chua Sook Ning, clinical psychologist and Relate Malaysia founder, says workplace bullying could also be meant to put others down to climb the ladder at work, such as spreading rumours about someone to claim their resources, position, or even office space. Such behaviour is usually driven by resource scarcity and stress among employees at the workplace, she notes.
Because of this, the oft-mentioned advice for those whose mental health is suffering to seek professional therapy is not enough, Chua says.
The workplace culture itself needs to be changed and policies that promote psychological safety at the workplace should be developed.
“The company needs to address the bullying and the workplace environment that allows such behaviours. We need to move from an individual approach to an organisational one.
“Actions like reducing unrealistic deadlines, increasing resources, and not using fear and humiliation to control employees can help decrease hostile bullying.
“In other words, there needs to be an honest, intentional, and systematic effort to address bullying and to promote workplace wellbeing,” she says.
That is not to say working on the individual employee’s mental wellbeing is not effective at all, but it will require a holistic approach from all parties involved.
Saw says companies can provide counselling services or employee assistance programmes to offer professional support for employees to process their experiences and develop coping strategies.
Educational employee wellness programmes and workshops will also help raise awareness and normalise proactive engagement with one’s mental health.
Training and workshops specifically on bullying prevention, conflict resolution, and communication skills can also empower employees and promote a culture of respect and understanding within the workplace. Fostering a sense of community and reducing isolation in the workplace can be done by establishing peer support groups as well.
“By integrating these holistic support measures, organisations can create a more supportive environment that not only addresses the immediate effects of workplace bullying but also fosters longterm mental health and wellbeing,” Saw says.
Government intervention
In addressing the case of the doctor based in Lahad Datu Hospital, Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said he has had a zero-tolerance approach to bullying since his first stint in the ministry in 2018.
To prove his words, he set up an independent special task force to not only investigate the doctor’s death but also examine the work culture at the hospital.
The National Institute for Occupa-tional Safety and Health (Niosh) under the Human Resources Ministry also acknowledges that the data suggests mental health challenges in the workplace are a significant concern that requires continuous attention and proactive measures.
As such, Niosh, in collaboration with the National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health, introduced an Occupational Psycholo-gical First Aid (Opfa) training programme in February to address the under-reporting of workplace mental health issues.
Only one psychosocial case was reported in the 2022 National Occupational Accident and Disease statistics, compared with over 5,000 physical cases.
“This is not because there are no mental illness cases, but instead it shows a lack of awareness about mental health and the possible solutions,” said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim at the time.
The ministry also took it one step further by allocating RM12mil to sponsor the first 10,000 participants of the new training programme.
“This initiative aims to increase mental health literacy and provide essential tools to support workplace mental health through the Opfa-trained personnel,” Niosh tells Sunday Star.
For those who are currently facing bullying in the workplace, Niosh suggests that they can utilise the “TALK” method as promoted by the Health Ministry.
“TALK” stands for Telling someone they trust about their problems, Asking for help when needed, Listening without judgement when others confide in them, and Knowing where to find professional help.
“Employees can seek support from their human resources department, workplace counsellors or external mental health professionals.
“By taking these steps, they can improve their mental well-being and seek solutions to their challenges,” says Niosh.
