The Impact of Work on Mental Health: Navigating the Challenges

Working conditions and environment can have a huge impact on mental health, and, equally, someone’s mental health can significantly affect performing well in their job.

It’s a two-way street where the interplay between work and mental health is crucially important. Did you know 1 in 6.8 people experience mental health problems in the workplace?

The environment in which we work plays a vital role in shaping our mental health.

Factors such as workload, job insecurity, workplace culture, and interpersonal relationships all contribute to the overall well-being of employees. High-pressure environments or toxic work cultures can aggravate stress and lead to mental health challenges.

On the flip side, an individual’s mental health significantly impacts their ability to perform well in their job. Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or burnout can impair concentration, decision-making abilities, and overall productivity.

We ask IFers what they do to reduce stress when feeling overwhelmed at work, Elena our Account Manager shared:

“First is stepping away from the screen – go for a short walk, make yourself coffee/tea, and have a chat with your colleagues. Another successful method that I use is listening to music. Lastly, I do like having my favourite snacks, as food brings me joy!”

Creating a supportive work environment, the dos and don’ts.

Working at an office where creativity flows like coffee and inspiration hangs in the air like the scent of freshly printed posters. Working alongside creative souls is like being part of an exclusive club, where brainstorming sessions feel more like jam sessions and colour palettes are our paintbrushes for the canvas of life.

But let’s be real – it’s not all rainbows and unicorns… Sometimes, the air gets a little tense. Ever felt the weight of a colleague’s judgmental gaze as they sneak a peek at your work-in-progress? Or hurriedly minimise your screen like you’re hiding state secrets? Yeah, we’ve all been there.

Here are a few dos and don’ts we use at IF for transforming your office into a positive environment:

Don’t: Give people negative feedback in front of their colleagues.

Do: Lots of offices are now open space, so it’s important to have privacy when talking about certain things.

Treat your office like a sacred space where everyone’s ideas are valued and respected. Create an atmosphere where constructive criticism is encouraged, but negativity is left at the door.

Don’t: View your colleagues as rivals competing for recognition.

Do: Share ideas, offer feedback, and celebrate each other’s successes. Collaborate like a team!

Do: Encourage constructive criticism to help improve each other’s work and create an atmosphere where respect and positivity thrive, leaving negativity at the door.

Don’t: Allow negativity or disrespect to poison the studio environment, engage in gossip, or undermine the efforts of your team members.

By implementing these steps, we can transform our office into spaces of innovation, inspiration, and genuine camaraderie, where each member contributes to the collective journey towards a creative and positive environment.

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