World Mental Health Day

Introduction

This article published in the editorial section of The Hindu Newspaper on the occasion of World Mental Health Day is about a serious problem happening in many countries: more young professionals are taking their own lives because of too much stress and pressure at work. Many people are working so hard that it’s causing serious mental health issues, and sometimes even death.

In Japan, there’s a word for this—karoshi, which means “death from overwork.” In 2023, 2,900 people in Japan died because of this. Sadly, what used to be just a problem in Japan is now happening in other countries. For example, in India in 2022, 11,486 people working in private companies also died by suicide, and work pressure is seen as one of the reasons.

Why is this happening?

The main reason is that businesses today care a lot about making profits and being productive. They cut costs and push workers to meet high goals, which leads to people working for very long hours under difficult conditions. Some companies believe that always being busy and working hard will lead to success. This idea has been around for a long time. In fact, some experts trace it back to a man named Max Weber, who wrote about how hard work was seen as a moral good.

This thinking is especially common in jobs like technology, finance, and law. In these jobs, people don’t just work hard—they are often celebrated for working too much. Companies think that if employees work under constant pressure, it will separate the “strong” workers from the “weak.” But this way of thinking ignores how damaging it can be to people’s mental and physical health.

When people are always under stress, it can lead to burnout, anxiety, and depression. In some extreme cases, people can’t take the pressure anymore and may choose to end their lives.

Why employee well-being matters

The article says that this unhealthy way of thinking about work is stopping companies from considering better ways to treat their employees. Research has shown that employees who are happy and less stressed do better at their jobs. Over 100 years ago, the Human Relations Movement started emphasizing how important it is to keep employees happy. This idea is slowly coming back today, and more companies are beginning to offer things like flexible work hours, mental health programs, and support for work-life balance.

However many companies are still focused only on making profits. They need to start thinking long-term and see their workers as valuable resources, not just numbers.

How can we fix this problem?

Change is possible, but it has to start with companies rethinking how they treat their workers. Employers should lower the number of hours employees work, offer flexible schedules, and allow remote work when possible. Studies show that when employees have control over their schedules, they feel happier and less stressed. Companies should also encourage employees to take breaks and vacations to avoid burnout.

It’s also really important to give workers access to mental health support. Companies should have programs where employees can talk to mental health professionals. This way, people can get help before their stress turns into bigger problems. Another helpful step is making sure people feel comfortable talking about mental health at work, without any shame or fear of judgment.

The role of managers

Supervisors and managers are very important in making these changes happen. They should be trained to notice when workers are feeling burned out, tired, or emotionally exhausted. They can then help employees before the stress becomes too much.

It’s also a good idea for companies to stop measuring success only by how many hours someone works or how fast they meet deadlines. Instead, they should focus on the quality of the work people are doing. This would help create a healthier environment where people are valued for doing meaningful work, not just working long hours.

Breaking the myth of busyness

The article says that many people believe being constantly busy means you’re being productive, but that’s not true. Employers should set realistic goals, and employees should feel empowered to say “no” when they have too much work. Setting boundaries is important for protecting mental health.

Final thoughts

This issue of workplace stress is both a personal and societal problem. It’s going to take effort from both employers and employees to solve it. Employees can work on building their own resilience by doing things like practising mindfulness, exercising regularly, and seeking support from friends and family. But if stress becomes too much, they should seek professional help without delay.

For long-term success and healthier work environments, we need to break the cycle of overwork. Companies need to start valuing employees’ well-being as much as they value profits. Only then can we have a future where work doesn’t come at the cost of people’s lives.

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The Hindu Epaper Editorial Explanation given by Hello Student is only a supplementary reading to the original article to make things easier for the students.

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The Editorial Page of The Hindu is an essential reading for all the students aspiring for UPSC, SSC, PCS, Judiciary etc or any other competitive government exams.

This may also be useful for exams like CUET UG and CUET PG, GATE, GMAT, GRE AND CAT

To read this article in Hindi –https://bhaarat.hellostudent.co.in/