Men’s mental health issues at work

By Emmanuel Zvada | Feb. 21, 2023

Symptoms of depression in men tend to be harder to spot because of the way men are socialised to manage and express their emotions.

Do you know that males are much more likely than females to commit suicide?

On a daily basis, many males find themselves grappling with how best they can handle mental health issues. Yes, it’s true that one in three men feel that their mental health issues are caused by their job or home issues stemming from an inability to balance and handle the two. Many men feel ashamed to talk to their bosses and colleagues about mental health and as a result, this costs men their wellbeing, their careers and at worst, their lives.

Men’s mental wellbeing at workplaces

Surveys done around the world show that males are reluctant to talk about their mental health and are more likely to die by suicide than females. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), males commit suicide at twice the rate of females and even in high income countries. When it comes to mental health, many men find it hard to open up to even those closest to them.

This means that broaching the subjects with managers or teammates, is almost impossible. But by taking the right steps, workplaces can actually play a key part in helping to improve men’s mental health. We are talking about a mental health crisis currently affecting men at work, which can include anything from anxiety, depression and stress, as well as issues like anger, addiction or trauma.

What causes mental distress at work?

The truth is that men’s reasons for experiencing mental health issues can vary widely and can be related to issues outside of their job, or to long-term challenges. But some of the key causes of distress in the workplace can include feeling pressured and overburdened by work and life issues. In actual fact there are internal work pressures and external pressures that cause men to be stressed.

Symptoms of depression in men

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Men and women can sometimes show signs of mental health problems in different ways. Symptoms of depression in men tend to be harder to spot because of the way men are socialised to manage and express their emotions. For instance, men might show it through anger or irritability, yet this can actually be a sign of underlying depression, stress, anxiety, sadness, grief or trauma.

If you are a man struggling with mental health problems, you might notice that you feel unhappy, depressed or unmotivated (especially first thing in the morning) and that also makes you feel hopeless. In men there are many indicators such as feeling worthless or guilty about things that have nothing to do with you, having sleeping problems as well as loss of interest in sex if you are married.

Why do men struggle to talk about mental health?

Men are less likely to open up about mental health problems at work for a variety of reasons. For instance, some might feel a sense of shame and stigma around the topic and fear that they could be labelled as “weak”. Some men might also fear jeopardising their career or chances of promotion by disclosing mental health difficulties, which can be daunting if they are the main breadwinner of their family. Others might come from a culture where it is taboo to talk about these issues.

What kind of mental health support do men prefer?

While learning to spot the signs of mental distress at work is crucial, it is also important to put employee wellness strategies in place that are tailored to men. As some men can find it difficult to open up, it can also help to have a set of specific questions to ask beyond open-ended ones like: “Are you okay?” or “How are you feeling?”

These might include asking whether they need support or whether they are having difficulty with a particular colleague or manager, or whether they might benefit from a more flexible schedule.

Organisations must train a team of workplace “Mental Health First Aiders” and ensure that some are male and create safe workplace spaces where peers can support each other. For instance, a men’s wellness group to talk openly and often about mental health in the workplace.

Promoting, supporting mental well-being at work

This centres around your company culture. If you create a culture of openness and support among employees and managers, those employees who are seeking support during their time of need will be more likely to openup.

In addition, create safe spaces for employees to talk to one another or to their managers. There are small steps that organisations can take to ensure well-being is a priority in their employees’ day-to-day working lives and one of it is simply promoting and supporting well-being issues at work. Improving employee wellbeing must be a priority, and employers should be considerate about how their well-being strategy builds on and aligns to their health and safety policy.

Create an open, inclusive caring culture

All employees need to believe that their organisation provides a positive and inclusive work environment and trust that they will be provided with the support they need. Otherwise, it may be difficult to break the stigma around mental health at workplaces.

This requires employers to create a culture that supports inclusivity and champion that culture daily. On the same note, it should be made clear that any mental health and well-being issue employees wish to discuss will always be treated with confidentiality, respect and understanding.

Create a healthy work environment

The work environment is known to have a significant impact on employee mental wellness, productivity, employee turnover and overall profits. Leaders can influence a healthy workplace environment by having an open-door policy, keeping employees informed of developments, departmental changes, business goals, and policies.

These provide direction, build trust, and reduce employee stress. There are also top-down policy changes that may benefit your workforce, including flex time so that employees can exercise and attend to personal needs, while also completing a full day work and also consider the work-from-home option, whether it’s a full move to a home office or one or two days per week.

Despite the progress we have made over the past decade, discussion of mental health for men continues to be a taboo subject.

Men often do not seek help, even if they struggle with anxiety, depression, sadness or obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is key to also note that mental health problems affect us all, but men find it harder to seek the support they need when they are struggling, the taboo associated with discussing mental health issues need to be broken because it has cost families and workplaces.

Emmanuel Zvada is an award-winning global HR practitioner and the managing consultant for 3rdeye Africa Consulting Group Zimbabwe and Namibia. For comments inbox or call +263771467441