Psychological wellbeing makes for worker productivity

“Leave your worries at the doorstep.” How many of us have heard that phrase reverberate through the hallways of the workplace as employee and employer alike seek to trudge on and be productive – despite the underlying personal challenges that maybe troubling them? Whether borne at work or at home, is it possible to separate personal and work issues such that neither interferes with the other and productivity remains at its optimum level?

As the New Year shifts into second gear, this question is even more poignant with the workplace gathering full steam. Abuse tends to have an impact on the productivity of employees. Employees who are not in pristine condition psychologically tend to struggle with performance within the workplace. It is a monumental task, if not an impossible one, for employees to completely dissociate from challenges that face them in their personal life and not carry those to work.

The employer also cannot expect the employee to simply “leave their worries at the doorstep”. While a robotic approach may seem like a solution, the reality is that we are not robots and we must be psychologically prepared to tackle tasks. The onus thus rests on the employer to up the productivity levels by not only focusing on the technical aspects but by also taking heed of any emotional challenges an employee may face. One method most employers have adopted is the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

Just three decades ago, an EAP in the workplace sounded like a foreign concept or even a luxury. However the role that such a programme plays cannot be underestimated. An EAP often entails a contract a company enters into with a service provider for counselling on personal problems. Although an EAP is set up as a workplace programme, provision is generally put in place to tackle work-related difficulties, experience has shown that the programme holistically tackles problem outside the workplace.

Employees are provided with the leverage to receive assistance for difficulties outside of work when such troubles impact the productivity of an employee. The challenges that EAPs deal with include personal problems such as substance abuse, marital problems, emotional problems, and financial or legal concerns. The services offered to employees range from the provision of a 24-hour toll-free help line, counselling and consultation, financial advice and guidance. The emotional wellbeing of employees is critical to the productivity within a workplace and it would augur well for most organisations to consider the provision of such services.

While the core methodologies utilised to promote productivity within the workplace should remain, it is fundamental to put the emotional well-being of employees at the forefront. In an earlier column on the relationship between productivity and physical fitness, I outlined how the average person uses the word productivity to describe the effectiveness and ability to obtain goals for a day or a set time period. I dealt with the physical and physiological benefits that are often experienced by employees who engage in regular physical activity.

Exercise can relieve tension and is also a productive means of managing psychological stress, anxiety, and depression, which also are common issues in today’s work environment. Productivity is crucial for the bottom line management in any business or organisation. In the same breath, the mental well-being of employees is critical for their job performance and it is incumbent upon management to enable workers perform their duties efficiently and effectively. One of the ways to do that is to ensure that there are adequate support systems within the workplace.

By: Bongani Coka – CEO of Productivity SA