From Burnout to Breakdown: Mental Health Risks in The Workplace

Employers and employees alike cannot afford to overlook the potential for mental health issues in the workplace. After all, the statistics tell their own story about how prevalent such concerns can be. Almost half of all New Zealanders will satisfy the criteria for a diagnosis of mental illness at some point during their lives, and one in five will receive a mental health diagnosis in any given year. 

Fortunately, attitudes towards mental health issues in the workplace have evolved considerably in recent years – for the better. There is a heightened awareness – including among employers – that mental health issues need to be taken as seriously as physical health concerns. 

Common Workplace Mental Health Risks to Be Mindful Of 

Such risks both within and outside the workplace as bullying, harassment, family-related stress, fatigue, and physical health conditions, can have greatly adverse consequences for workers’ mental health.

Various other factors can potentially bring about mental harm in a workplace. These can include workers feeling overly burdened by their workload, feeling they have little autonomy in how they carry out their work, not getting along well with other members of their team, feeling insufficiently supported by their organisation, and/or feeling they have a poor work-life balance. 

How Can Employers Mitigate Mental Health Risks in The Workplace? 

While some workers at any given time may be coping OK with mental pressures or even thriving, others might be struggling or unwell. It is of the utmost importance for employers to intervene to help prevent employee burnout from turning into breakdown – and not only because they are legally obliged to manage the health and safety risks associated with stress. 

With all this in mind, an employer should take steps such as the below to help mitigate workplace mental health risks: 

• Setting employees clear and achievable tasks and goals to help prevent burnout 
• Granting sick leave to allow employees to care for their mental health 
• Creating a workplace wellbeing policy 
• Providing an environment in which workers feel safe discussing mental health concerns 
• Creating a return-to-work support plan with employees when they feel ready to discuss this 
• Implementing workplace mental health programmes and coaching 

The Upside of Imposter Syndrome: Leveraging Self-Doubt for Growth 

Many of us, over our working lives, have felt all too familiar with “imposter syndrome” – the feeling that we have not achieved our success in our personal lives due to our own efforts or skills. You might fear that one day, people will realise you are an “imposter” – someone whose success is undeserved. 

While “imposter syndrome” is not an official diagnosis, many people do experience a high level of self-doubt, with significant implications for their mental health in the workplace. 

However, it is also possible for individuals and organisations to turn self-doubt into a powerful tool for development and innovation. In this sense, self-doubt can be a catalyst for developing a balanced mindset and building resilience. 

Many professionals have found down the years that having “imposter” thoughts can drive them to improve their interpersonal performance at work, including encouraging, helping, and cooperating with others. Such thoughts can make you more attuned to other people’s perceptions and feelings, thereby helping to make you more likeable at work. 

If you are reading this as an employer, you can use the existence of “imposter syndrome” as a reminder of the benefits of fostering a supportive work environment where perceived weaknesses are addressed and support is provided to help overcome them. 

“Imposter” thoughts and self-doubt, then, can be leveraged for personal and professional growth, using work-mental health coaching as a support system. To learn more about how a mental health coach in NZ can help you focus on and mitigate potential wellbeing risks and triggers across your organisation’s workforce, please contact The Balanced Mindset today.