As the Black Management Forum (BMF) we exist to influence socio-economic transformation in the country. Socio-economic transformation is incomplete if we neglect either the social aspects or the economic aspects of our lived experiences.
The two affect each other and hence as an organisation we strive to make an impact on both. The social aspects of our existence always flow from our state of being as individuals and then escalates to our families, communities, and society.
On an individual level, our mental well-being is of paramount importance, as it affects how we show up at home to our loved ones and at the place of work where we contribute out talents and skills. Our efforts of achieving a critical mass of capable, competent, and empowered black managers with an end goal of achieving socio-economic transformation, hinges on ensuring we have mentally healthy individuals.
Therefore, educating about the importance of mental wellness is critical, in African communities, mental illness has been a foreign concept and often associated with witchcraft or alcoholism as a coping tool when it presents itself.
However, contemporary we are witnessing a shift and awareness in African communities about mental health symptoms, resulting in more awareness programmes on mental health, that also seek to deal with stigmatization.
Frequently in social media platforms we see words such as “be kind to someone today, you may never know what they are going through”, clearly portraying that we are now conscious and cognisant of the importance of mental wellness.
Prominent and public figures in the entertainment industry such as Robin Williams, HHP, Ricky Rick and Patrick Shai are part of the statistics of those that have committed suicide due to mental illness. This is a significant loss of human talent and human capital. Therefore, we should create more conducive platforms and environment to deliberate on the subject, to have a healthy and productive workforce.
The World Health Organization states that in 2019, one in eight people around the world were living with anxiety and depressive disorders. This number increased significantly in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although effective prevention and treatment options exist, people who are most affected by mental disorder do not have access to effective care and may also experience stigma, discrimination, and violation of human rights.
In South Africa, it has been established that; 10% (about 4.5 million) of South African labour force suffers from depression with several contributing factors such as, work uncertainty and work expectations amongst other things.
If the average person will spend 90 000 hours in the workplace, it is highly likely that the workplace will have an influence on their mental health. It is thus paramount for employers to foster a conducive and safe environment for employees to be at liberty to disclose their mental health challenges, as several employees suffer in silence and are afraid to talk about their conditions for the fear of being ridiculed or stigmatized in the workplace. This posing a threat to the organizational culture, productivity and mostly the profitability of the organisation.
Although South Africa has the most progressive legislations in the world, inadequate comprehension of how mental illness impacts on a person’s ability and competency to continue working and striving to be the best, can even lead to an employee being declared redundant and ultimately dismissed from employment.
As embedded in our Constitution, the Bill of Rights states that; everyone has the right to life, equality and human dignity. Equally, the Labour Relations Act prohibits employers from dismissing employees by virtue of being disabled or being ill.
To ensure that we avert these challenges in the workplace, employers particularly management must be educated on the subject matter, and mechanisms of support services for employees must be in place. An analysis on how the working environment could potentially be contributing to or exacerbating mental illnesses must be conducted. Organisations need to invest in employee wellness programmes, to ensure that all employees are productive and performing at optimal levels.
The government has implemented a Sport Day on a Wednesday, so that employees can engage in different forms of physical exercises. Studies reveal that people who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional well-being thus reducing the risk of developing mental illness. Other organisations should emulate this best practice from the government and invest in employee wellness.
Much as it is the responsibility of individuals to ensure they take care of their well-being, it is equally the responsibility of organisations to ensure that they implement progressive employee wellness policies.
Organisations can assist in reducing the negative impact that comes with mental illness so we can continue having productive and striving work-force, which will be in a good position to take organisations and the country forward.
Dr Sibongile Vilakazi is the president of the Black Management Forum.
BUSINESS REPORT