Psychiatrist and Head of Healthcare Leadership at Stellenbosch Business School, Prof Renata Schoeman, shares the driving factors of employees’ mental health issues with the OFM Business Hour and advises heads of organisations on how to better support staff.

In the Mental State of the World 2022 report, South Africa scored the lowest average on the mental health wellbeing scale, measured across 34 countries from around the world. The World Mental Health Report 2022 estimated the rise in both anxiety and depressive disorders at more than 25% during the first year of the pandemic.

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Prof Schoeman says mental health difficulties can be driven by personal stressors, genetic vulnerabilities, socio-economic challenges or organisational challenges/toxic work cultures. 

With respect to the latter Prof Schoeman maintains “employees are seeking workplace environments where management cares as much about their productivity as they do about their emotional well-being. Emotionally well-supported employees are happier, less stressed and anxious, more creative, productive and have higher levels of job satisfaction which leads to low staff turn-overs and less conflict.”

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This conversation comes amidst Corporate Wellness week (4-8 July 2023).

OFM Business Hour