The Transformer of Psychological Health and Well-being: Workplaces

As the importance of work life in our lives evolves, we see that workplaces are gaining increasing importance in meeting employees’ needs and expectations regarding mental health support.

In October 2022, officials from the U.S. Department of Health published the first “Workplace Mental Health and Well-being Guide.” This guide is a publication that enables the development of a conceptual framework for workplace mental health and well-being in light of psychological science. The guide identifies five essential elements for workplace mental health and well-being:

1. Protection from harm (including safety and security)

2. Connection and sense of community (including social support and belonging)

3. Work-life harmony (including autonomy and flexibility)

4. Feeling valued at work (including dignity and meaning)

5. Opportunity for growth (including learning and achievement)

Similarly, the results of the APA’s “2023 Work in America Survey” confirm the importance of psychological well-being for employees:

92% of employees state that working for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being is:

a) very (57%), or

b) somewhat (35%) important.

Additionally, 95% of employees say that feeling respected in the workplace is:

a) very (66%), or

b) somewhat (29%) important.

Although some survey results in the U.S. show positive developments, the data also reveals that improvements are still needed. 55% of employees believe:

• strongly (21%), or

• somewhat (34%), that their employers are under the misconception that their workplace environments are healthier than they actually are.

Summarizing the research findings in line with the U.S. Department of Health Guide:

1. Protection from Harm

This element has been evaluated in the context of the frequently used terms of recent years: “toxicity” and “mobbing.”

• The prevalence of toxic workplaces varies by sector: employees in Customer/Consumer/Healthcare Services are more likely to describe their workplaces as “toxic” compared to office workers; 26% versus 14%.

• Additionally, in-office employees are more likely to report a toxic workplace compared to remote workers; 22% versus 13%.

According to the APA research, nearly one in five people (19%) say they work in a toxic workplace.

The majority of those who are not at all satisfied or not very satisfied with their jobs (59%) define their workplaces as toxic. Moreover, 58% of those reporting a toxic workplace state that they plan to look for a new job at a different company or organization in the coming year, compared to only 27% among those who do not report a toxic workplace.

A high percentage of service sector employees experience some form of verbal abuse at work:

• Nearly a quarter of respondents (24%) said that in the past 12 months, someone either within or outside the company yelled at them or verbally abused them at work.

• More than a quarter of in-person workers reported verbal abuse (26%), significantly higher than remote workers (18%).

• Additionally, nearly one-third of Customer/Consumer/Healthcare Services employees (31%) reported some form of verbal abuse, compared to nearly a quarter of manual laborers (23%) and office workers (22%).

2. Connection and Sense of Community

The U.S. Department of Health’s “Workplace Mental Health and Well-being Guide” emphasizes that organizations that create opportunities for social connection and a sense of community can help improve employees’ mental health and well-being. This support, recommended for every workplace, is based on two fundamental human needs: social support and belonging.

Nevertheless, workplace loneliness is experienced by a significant portion of employees:

Although most employees report general satisfaction with workplace relationships, more than a quarter (26%) state that they experience feelings of loneliness or isolation at work.

• Notably, the prevalence of these feelings of loneliness is highest among Customer/Consumer/Healthcare Services employees at 35%,

• followed by office workers at 23%,

• and manual laborers at 22%.

3. Work–Life Balance

The U.S. Department of Health’s guide concludes that work–life harmony is associated with psychological well-being.

Work–life harmony is defined as the integration of work and non-work demands with human needs such as autonomy and flexibility. It includes, among other things, the level of control a person has over “how, when, and where” they do their job.

Having sufficient flexibility to reduce conflicts between work and home life is considered part of work–life balance. Employees who say they do not have enough flexibility to balance their work and personal lives (67%) are far more likely to report that their work environment negatively affects their mental health compared to those who have such flexibility (23%).

A significant number of employees believe their time off is not respected:

Unfortunately, more than a quarter of respondents (26%) agree fully or partially with the statement “my employer does not respect my personal boundaries.” Additionally, less than half of respondents (40%) report that their employer provides a culture where employees’ time off is respected. Office workers (48%) are almost twice as likely as manual laborers (25%) to say their time off is respected.

4. Feeling Valued

The U.S. Department of Health’s guide concludes that feeling valued at work and having meaningful work are associated with psychological well-being.

According to the report, people want to know that they matter to those around them; this includes a sense of dignity and meaning. 95% of respondents say that being respected in the workplace is important or very important to them.

Those who report not having meaningful work are much more likely to report typically feeling tense or stressed (71%) compared to those who report having meaningful work (45%).

Micromanagement

The U.S. Department of Health’s guide concludes that micromanagement creates tension and stress.

Four out of ten employees (42%) report feeling that they are managed in a “micromanaging” style at work. Those who feel micromanaged are significantly more likely to feel tense or stressed compared to those who do not (64% versus 36%).

5. Growth Opportunities

The U.S. Department of Health’s guide finds that employees want—and even need—opportunities for growth.

The human drive to continuously seek learning and achievement opportunities is a well-known psychological need. The vast majority of employees (91%) say that having a job that offers continuous learning opportunities is very or somewhat important to them; 94% say that having a job that provides a sense of achievement is very or somewhat important.

Growth opportunities are directly linked to psychological well-being. Employees who lack growth and development opportunities are more likely to feel tense and stressed compared to those who have such opportunities (66% versus 42%).