Examining Mental Health Beyond Burnout

As mental health gains overdue attention from corporates all across the globe, it’s time we shift the needle and stop shying away from addressing mental illness. Employers must make efforts to eliminate the stigma not just surrounding mental health, but also mental illness

- Bhavna Sarin

When you catch a cold or fever, do you say you are sick, or that your physical health isn’t good?

When an employee isn’t feeling well, do they avail sick leave or physical health leave?

But when it comes to not feeling good emotionally and mentally, we want to amplify mental health leave?

The global workforce and leadership have been tip-toeing around mental health, with little to negligible focus on mental illness, as well as the many forms of feeling mentally and emotionally unwell, which are beyond the scope of what is covered under clinical mental illnesses. There has been movement in addressing mental health, but not as much on mental health issues.

A significant chunk of mental well-being initiatives has been focused on creating awareness and establishing a business case around the impact of mental wellness on productivity, in the hopes to draw sincere attention to this grave concern. And in the process, we lost sight of the need for awareness on mental illness, how individuals cope and co-exist with these conditions and the role of employers in supporting their employees as they battle mental illness.

This piece dives into what mental illness and mental health encapsulate, the impact of underlying mental health concerns on the day-to-day functioning of the workforce, and exploring the various facets of mental health beyond burnout.

Repeating the same mistake!