As news of layoffs and economic volatility hit the headlines more frequently than ever, employees across sectors are battling burnout, depression and anxiety. Discrimination, inequality, job insecurity and excessive workload are among the factors that contribute to the rise in mental health crises at the workplace. They are taking a heavy toll on productivity as well as motivation of employees creating an undercurrent of anxiety that is hard to define and even harder to diagnose and resolve. With only a fraction of those suffering mental health issues seeking care due to stigma and a lack of resources, the challenges are likely to grow soon. According to an estimate by the WHO, globally, 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of $1 trillion a year in lost productivity.
Ideally, a workplace should add to the joy and happiness of employees while instilling a sense of confidence, purpose and achievement. However, in the post-pandemic world, employees are more stressed than ever. A new McKinsey research on workplace mental health in Asia, conducted between February and April 2022, shows that nearly one in three employees are experiencing symptoms of burnout. Female employees and frontline workers are more vulnerable as they report higher levels of burnout, symptoms of depression and distress than their global counterparts.
India remains one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Yet, between 1990 and 2017, the burden of mental illness in the country increased from 2.5% to 4.7% of the total disease burden. The mental health repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic are echoing in the hallways of corporate India. The National Mental Health Survey 2015-16 reveals that nearly 15% of Indian adults are in need of active interventions for one or more mental health issues. While the middle-age working population is the most affected, both adolescents and the elderly face serious mental health concerns. The survey also shows that common mental disorders, severe mental disorders and substance use problems coexist as urban centers witness a growing incidents of mental health problems.
Recognizing the seriousness of the issue, the Union government last year launched the National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS). The Budget allocation for the programme has been increased from Rs 121 crore last year to Rs 133.73 crore this year. The Ministry of Education too has launched ‘Manodarpan’, an initiative aimed at covering a wide range of activities to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and families for mental health and emotional wellbeing. Further, to provide affordable and accessible mental healthcare facilities, the government is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP). The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) component of the NMHP has been sanctioned for implementation in 704 districts, for which support is provided to the states and the Union Territories through the National Health Mission.
In September 2015, mental health was included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the provisions of this goal, by 2030, countries should aim to reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. It also wants countries to strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
Over the last few years, corporate India has stepped up efforts to address employees’ mental health issues. Apart from empanelling specialist counselors, companies are encouraging their leaders to conduct regular check-ins with their teams. Creating awareness about the importance of mental health, helping employees overcome the stigma of mental illness and improving work-life balance are some of the steps that organizations are taking to reduce stress and anxiety among their employees.
While these initiatives will go a long way in building a culture focused on employee well-being, it is time for companies to make mental health a priority focus area under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. Mental health issues are faced by people from all walks of life regardless of their economic and social status. Millions of underserved people in rural and semi-urban areas battling stress, depression and anxiety would be the biggest beneficiaries of such programmes that can be designed to create awareness and offer treatment at primary healthcare centers.
The current mental health systems are weak, fragmented and uncoordinated with deficiencies in all components. With less than one psychiatrists (0.75 to be precise) per 100,000 people in India, the paucity of mental health experts prevents thousands of people from receiving timely medical help. This is far below the recommended level of at least three psychiatrists per 100,000 people. Those living in small towns and villages are the worst sufferers. Our country needs an army of trained counselors who can reach out to vulnerable populations and bridge the gap between mental health professionals and patients. Technology can play a big role as modes of communication may include video, audio and text-based applications to spearhead this revolution. The role of CSR in battling the mental health crisis is more comprehensive than we think. It begins by creating awareness about these issues and working towards removing the stigma around mental health problems that have long existed in our society.
In times to come, CSR could be the driving force behind these scalable models for delivering mental health to underserved communities.
Article Credits: The Times of India
Image Credits: Free pik
Pingback: Corporate Social Responsibility: Best Practices to Survive and Thrive in Today’s Dynamic Environment - SLSV - A global media & CSR consultancy network
Pingback: 8 Ways to Improve Your CSR Program for Meaningful Impact - SLSV - A global media & CSR consultancy network