Managing Mental Health at Work during Periods of Uncertainty

Abstract

The coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic has resulted in a period of uncertainty where social, political, and economic factors have been affected. Employment is one the most essential components of an individual’s life which determines the quality of life, generating income and constituting towards national and personal sustainability. As employees transformed their homes into their places of employment during the covid-19 pandemic, they were faced with numerous challenges particularly pertaining to their mental health and wellbeing. This study aims to identify the mental health challenges employees have encountered during the covid-19 pandemic with the endeavor to recommend strategies to manage negative mental at work during future periods of uncertainty. A systematic review of published and grey literature was conducted utilizing manual and grey literature sources. Results indicate that a work-life balance including organization; healthy eating; behavior, communication and skill development all contribute towards mental health challenges within the workplace. This study has deduced that the covid-19 pandemic has increased mental health awareness in the workplace, and every individual within employment is entitled to working conditions that are conducive, respectable, secure and have implemented legislations that promote human decency through good ethical behavior. Individuals experiencing negative mental health challenges must be provided with the adequate support to enhance their quality of life and facilitate organizational productivity. The mental state of employees has an impact upon the overall organizational costs including productivity and medical costs which contribute towards human resource challenges and must be addressed with urgency within the new normal world.