Navigating the Nuances: Mental Health vs. Mental Wellbeing in the Workplace

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Introduction

Mastering the complex landscape of mental health and mental wellbeing refers to the highest level of skill, expertise, or proficiency in the areas of mental health and mental being. Mastery implies a deep and comprehensive understanding of a subject or skill, often achieved after prolonged practice, study and experience. Mastery is not just about knowing a lot about something or being able to perform a task well, but about having a profound and nuanced understanding of the subject or skill. It is this profound and nuanced understanding that needs to be applied to differentiating mental health from mental wellbeing.

As increasing attention gets paid to the issue of mental health in the workplace, understanding and distinguishing between mental health and mental wellbeing has become increasingly crucial as these terms are unfortunately often used interchangeably. Even though they are often used interchangeably, they should not be because they each represent different aspects of psychological states that impact employee performance, satisfaction and overall life and work-life quality.

This article aims to differentiate mental health and mental wellbeing in the workplace and explore the role of employers in fostering both.

Understanding Mental Health

Mental health refers to our cognitive, behavioral and emotional wellbeing. It’s all about how we think, feel and behave. The term mental health is sometimes used to mean an absence of a mental illness or disorder, but it’s more comprehensive than that. Mental health is a positive concept related to the social and emotional wellbeing of individuals and communities.

A frequently cited definition of mental health is the definition put forth by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO, mental health is a state of wellbeing in which an individual realizes their abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and contribute to their community.

In today’s workplaces, mental health primarily focuses on stress and stress related conditions, along with the management of mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression and substance abuse disorders. These are the three mental illnesses most commonly seen in the workplace. .

As noted by the WHO, having good mental health, or being mentally healthy (mental wellness) is more than just the absence of illness, rather it’s a state of overall wellbeing. This includes the ability to:

• Realize one’s potential: This means being able to pursue goals, develop skills, and have the confidence and self-esteem to make decisions.
• Cope with the normal stresses of life: Dealing effectively with daily challenges and stressors is crucial for maintaining mental health.
• Work productively: This involves contributing meaningfully to one’s community or workplace, managing tasks effectively, and feeling engaged with one’s work.
• Form healthy relationships: Having strong, fulfilling connections with others, and being able to manage interpersonal dynamics positively.
• Adapt to change and cope with adversity: This is about resilience, or how well a person can adapt to life’s ups and downs.

It’s important to recognize that mental health is not just the absence of mental illness. Someone can have poor mental health (languishing) without having a diagnosable mental illness. Conversely, a person with a mental illness can still experience periods of physical, mental and social wellbeing.

Workplace Mental Health

Workplace mental health specifically refers to how a person’s work environment and job-related experiences impact their mental health. This can include aspects like work-life balance, organization culture and workplace climates, support from colleagues and superiors, job security and recognition and reward systems. Ensuring good mental wellness in the workplace involves creating an environment that promotes employee wellbeing and supports those with a mental illness.

Key Characteristics of Workplace Mental Health

• Preventive and Reactive Approach: Workplace mental health initiatives often focus on preventing mental health issues and providing support for those already struggling.
• Compliance and Risk Management: Employers focus on adhering to legal requirements where they exist, emphasizing risk management and employee safety.
• Professional Support Services: Common support services include providing access to counseling and treatment and offering mental health days, along with other professional support services. are common practices.

Understanding Mental Wellbeing

Though the two are closely linked, mental wellbeing is a broader concept than mental health. If you recall, mental health is a state of mental wellbeing. Mental wellbeing encompasses not only the absence of mental illness, but also includes aspects of an individual’s overall psychological state. Mental wellbeing is about how people feel and how well they can cope with their day-to-day life. Mental wellbeing can change from moment to moment, day to day, month to month, or year to year.

Key aspects of mental wellbeing include:

• Emotional Wellbeing: This involves the ability to manage one’s emotions and express them appropriately and comfortably. It’s about feeling relatively confident in yourself, being able to laugh and enjoy life and feel generally optimistic.
• Psychological Wellbeing: This includes aspects like self-acceptance, personal growth, purpose in life, environmental mastery, autonomy, and positive relations with others. It’s about realizing one’s potential and being engaged in productive activities.
• Social Wellbeing: This relates to developing and maintaining healthy relationships, feeling connected and supported in a community, and having a sense of belonging.
• Resilience: The ability to bounce back from adversity, stress, and trauma. Resilient people are able to utilize their strengths and skills to cope and recover from problems and challenges.
• Balance: The ability to maintain a balance between life activities, responsibilities, and efforts to achieve psychological resilience.
• Flexibility: Mental wellbeing involves being agile and being able to adapt to change, evolve and grow as life experiences change.

It’s important to note that mental wellbeing doesn’t mean being happy all the time. And it doesn’t mean that you won’t experience negative or painful emotions (mental distress), such as grief or anger. Mental wellbeing is about living and coping well despite problems. It’s about feeling capable and competent, being able to handle the normal ups and downs of life, maintaining positive relationships and feeling that you belong and connected to your various groups and communities and surroundings.

Mental Wellbeing in the Workplace

Mental wellbeing in the workplace encompasses a broader spectrum than mental health.

The key characteristics of workplace mental wellbeing include:

• Proactive and Holistic Approach: This involves creating a work environment that supports general wellbeing, including physical, emotional and social aspects.
• Culture and Environment: A significant focus is on developing a positive organizational culture and workplace environment which encourage work-life balance, recognition, and social connection.
• Employee Experiences: Positive employee experiences lead to engagement and empowerment. Encouraging employee participation in decision-making and providing opportunities for personal and professional growth are also part of the positive employee experience.

Comparing and Contrasting

While both workplace mental health and mental wellbeing are crucial, they differ in scope and approach. Mental health initiatives are often more clinically oriented, focusing on supporting and facilitating the diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. In contrast, mental wellbeing encompasses a wider range of factors that contribute to an employee’s overall sense of happiness and fulfillment.

Mental health strategies in the workplace often involve interventions after an issue has been identified. Mental wellbeing initiatives, however, lean towards a more preventive approach, including creating an environment that supports an employee’s overall wellbeing.

The Role of the Employer in Addressing Mental Health and Mental Wellbeing

Employers play a pivotal role in addressing both mental health and mental wellbeing in the workplace.

For Mental Health:

• Creating a Supportive Environment: Employers should ensure that employees feel safe to discuss mental health issues without fear of stigma or discrimination.
• Access to Resources: Providing access to mental health professionals, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), and online resources can be crucial.
• Training and Awareness: Conducting training sessions on mental health awareness helps in early identification and support for employees struggling with mental health issues.

For Mental Wellbeing:

• Promoting a Positive Organization Culture and Workplace Environment: Encouraging a culture and workplaces that value work-life balance, employee recognition, and social support.
• Employee Development and Engagement: Opportunities for career development, skill enhancement, and participation in decision-making can greatly enhance mental wellbeing.
• Physical Environment and Policies: Ergonomic workspaces, flexible working hours, and wellness programs contribute significantly to mental wellbeing.

In navigating the nuanced terrains of mental health and mental wellbeing in the workplace, it becomes evident that understanding and addressing these concepts is not just beneficial, but essential for a thriving work environment. Understanding these nuances is not just about preventing and managing mental illnesses and mental health issues, but also about fostering an environment where employees can flourish, realize their potential and contribute meaningfully. When employers invest in both mental health and mental wellbeing, they do not just enhance individual lives; they cultivate a more resilient, productive, and engaged workforce. This, in turn, leads to a healthier, more harmonious and ultimately more successful work organization.

While mental health and mental wellbeing are interconnected, their focuses are different and they require different workplace approaches. As a construct, mental health is more concrete and often focuses on preventing and addressing mental illnesses. On the other hand, mental wellbeing encompasses a broader range of factors contributing to overall life satisfaction and happiness. Employers have a critical role in addressing both aspects by creating positive, supportive, healthy work organizations and work environments. By investing in both mental health and mental wellbeing, employers not only enhance employee satisfaction, productivity and the overall employee experience, but also contribute to a more resilient and thriving workforce.