After a long haul of 3 years, coping with this renewed practice of going back to work can take a toll on one’s mental health. Harassment in any form, mental or physical, is one of the most rampant malpractices of the corporate culture.
Ever since workplaces have opened up, according to a survey conducted by Complykaro.com, complaints registered have increased by 27% in the financial year 2021-2022 as compared to the previous year.
Here are 10 ways to gear up before getting back to the grind:
1. Establish a core group: Having a trusted and reliable group of colleagues at the workplace can help. They can function as stress relievers.
2. Vocalising issues related to mental health: Dr. Kriti Anand, a consultant psychiatrist, said that it is very important to participate in campaigns pertaining to mental health. Regular meetings are vital to bringing up problems concerning the mental health of all the employees in any organization.
3. Maintain a healthy work-life balance: Making time for leisure activities can help in dealing with negativity and stress at work.
Dr. Anand who formerly worked at a mental wellness centre, strongly suggests taking time off from the office. She continued, “Taking a vacation is vital. The number of days that have been set aside by private firms for employees must be used to ensure that leisure activities are undertaken to relax. “
4. Always behave properly among other people: Never allow things to go wrong on your end, and always keep a positive attitude toward others. If things get out of control, speak with the boss and take legal action.
5. Use authority when necessary: In addition to emphasizing mental wellness, Dr. Anand also laid emphasis on the value of assertiveness. She added, “It is really crucial to know when to say no,” while discussing how juniors are pressured with work and forced to reach targets within tight timeframes.
6. Define limits and respect your personal space: An employee must make sure the reasons for any unwarranted interference into one’s personal life by a colleague are made known and clearly stated. Maintaining a distance from colleagues is vital.
7. Let career not be your only definition: Having a backup plan is extremely crucial. Nothing is more important than the health of a person, and mental health ought to be prioritized above everything else.
8. Mental health is not gender specific: “Irrespective of whether you are a man or a woman, when it comes to mental health, symptoms must be communicated as soon as they show up.” said Dr. Anand when asked if men open up about their psychological struggles.
9. Know your rights: The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act requires that every business set up an internal complaints committee to address accusations of harassment. It also specifies various forms of harassment, so never dismiss even the smallest indications of harassment.
10. Confidential reporting channels: A witness is not always important to prove that you have been sexually harassed because the harasser is smart enough to not make advances in front of others.
Documenting sexually oriented texts, emails etc. is very important and so is informing the concerned authority at the right time so that adequate action can be taken before filing a police report.
While working from home has its own advantages, like flexible hours at one’s own desired locations, it has its own set of disadvantages. Dr. Anand also discussed the challenges high school teachers encounter while discussing rigorous work schedules.
The teachers faced a lot of psychological issues due to work-life imbalance when they had to adopt the work-from-home model. “The high school teaching staff was overworked during Covid. The imbalance that resulted from preparing presentations at night and teaching students in the morning led to burnout since the students were not given enough time to adjust to the new style of instruction.”
Working from the office ensures competitiveness, following a routine, and better accountability, to name a few. COVID restrictions have been lifted, private companies are making it mandatory for employees to return to their offices, and life is going back to normal as it was.
The trend of working from home is now diminishing worldwide for all the major enterprises across the world want their workforce to stop working remotely.
