Mental health and well-being: What organisations need to know
Given legislative changes, the challenging economic environment, organisational shifts following the Covid-19 pandemic and many other factors, organisations (both locally and internationally) are continuously challenged with having to adapt and rethink their organisational policies and procedures. The aforementioned challenges, the continuously low education rates, the high unemployment rate and strong feelings of fear and anxiety amongst South Africans, have contributed to South Africa being ranked as the country with the lowest record of mental health and well-being in 2022, according to the Mental State of the World report (2022). In 2023, South Africa again, together with Brazil, the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan, achieved the lowest rankings relating to mental health and well-being (Sapien Labs, 2025). According to the Mental State of the World report (2022), within South Africa, the mental health of specifically younger generations has dropped significantly, likely due to the inequitable and internet-dominated world in which they are raised (Mukwevho, 2022).
With the abovementioned context in mind, organisations in South Africa have no option but to obtain an understanding of mental health and well-being in the workplace and make the necessary provisions to ensure same. In this regard, organisations must ensure that they align with legislative requirements by having the necessary policies and procedures in place. To do so, it is firstly important to understand the difference between mental health and mental well-being as these concepts are often used interchangeably but differ in meaning.
According to BusinessTech (2022), mental health can be defined as an individual’s ability to cope with and manage continuous, everyday stressors. Mental health is thus regarded as being more internally focused, and illnesses often associated with it include bipolar disorder, general anxiety disorder as well as depression. Mental well-being refers to external factors which impact or may impact an individual’s state of mind. Such factors may include relationships with others, working conditions, economic fluctuations, etc. Consequently, it may be said that inadequate levels of mental health may negatively impact mental well-being.
Within South African organisations specifically, both mental health and well-being challenges are highly prominent. According to a survey done by IQ Business, more than 69% of their staff are mentally affected by the high poverty rates. Additionally, more than 66% of office-based staff experience high anxiety, stress and depression, and 92% of staff are concerned about the economic state and the possible implications for themselves as well as their loved ones and their future (BusinessTech, 2022). Hence, organisations are prompted and strongly encouraged to ensure understanding and readiness to support their staff in relation to mental health and well-being. The question now becomes; how does one fully understand and support an organisation’s employees?
Human Resource (HR) leaders and departments play a pivotal role in assisting top management to prioritise mental health and well-being, as well as helping employees manage their mental health and well-being. To achieve these objectives, a first step may include investigating and understanding what contributes to or results in high levels of employee stress within the organisation. Factors which may be considered include organisational structures and reporting lines, communication patterns, level of autonomy, opportunities for career development, remuneration structures, workloads and fringe benefits. When investigating, it is also important to obtain employee feedback. Once stressors have been identified, possible action plans should be put in place to address these (BusinessTech, 2022). Action plans may include mental health and well-being awareness training, the distribution of relevant information packs and the implementation of mental health and well-being policies.
Top tips developed by the International Labour Organisation for specifically improving one’s approach to mental well-being include (BusinessTech, 2022):
- Social contact between staff (both in remote and office-based working environments);
- Clear and realistic structures;
- Contribution to social identity of staff;
- Ensure collective effort and purpose for support; and
- Implement regular activities and/or engagement.
According to Thorne (2025), increased focus should be placed on the legislative requirements in South Africa pertaining to mental health and well-being within the framework of occupational health and safety given that mental health and well-being is regarded as an integral part of workplace safety in South Africa. When mental health and well-being problems such as burnout or excessive stress are left unaddressed, it can significantly impact workplace safety and decrease productivity of employees. The importance of factoring in mental health and well-being into organisational processes, such as performance evaluations and dismissal procedures, were highlighted in the Labour Appeal Court Case, of Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union obo Strydom v Witzenburg Municipality and Others (2012). The court case highlighted that thorough investigation is required to determine whether mental health conditions affect an employee’s performance. It further clarified that even though an employee’s mental health may affect their work performance / capacity, the employer must still, at all times, adhere to and abide by the Code of Good Practice related to Dismissals. Consequently, employers are reminded that they have a legal obligation to ensure they provide a work environment which is free from mental health and well-being risks as far as reasonably practicable (Thorne, 2025).
When considering mental health and well-being, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. At Joubert and Associates, we are committed to supporting organisations in identifying and addressing mental health and well-being challenges. Through the sharing of specialist knowledge and skills, we assist in the development of tailored programmes and initiatives for effectively addressing mental health and well-being challenges. This includes, but is not limited to, mental health and well-being training, culture and climate assessments, organisational structure analyses, psychological first aid support and counselling to staff, as well as individual coaching to address employee needs.
A concluding thought: “Mental health isn’t just a personal matter; it’s a professional priority. A sound mind fuels excellence in the workplace.” (Jane Janniere).
Article written by Talita Joubert
Resources:
https://businesstech.co.za/news/industry-news/639049/how-to-build-a-mentally-healthy-workplace/
https://health-e.org.za/2022/03/18/mental-wellbeing-sa-hits-rock-bottom-on-global-list/