Dr Zain Sikafi, CEO and co-founder of Mynurva, on how to deal with mental health issues in the workplace.
Mental health has become an increasingly prominent topic of discussion over recent years, with new initiatives and campaigns attempting to promote a dialogue about this pressing issue. While growing awareness and understanding is certainly a positive development, the unfortunate reality is that there is still a negative stigma surrounding mental health. This is particularly true in the workplace where mental health is perceived a ‘taboo’ subject within many occupations and professional settings.
The consequences of poor mental health can have significant ramifications on the way people go about their daily tasks, affecting their overall performance at work, their relationships with friends and family, and most importantly, their own personal happiness. Often at times, a stressful, high-pressure working environment can be the root cause of mental ill-health – other times, it can exacerbate existing symptoms. Indeed, the prevalence of poor mental health within business is stark; 15% of people at work have symptoms of an existing mental health condition, according to the Prime Minister’s independent ‘Thriving at Work’ report – while a staggering 300,000 people end up losing their job each year as a direct consequence....