Mental health in Kenya has always been a sidelined issue yet it has proved to be quite fundamental in our daily lives. Recently on Twitter, a lot of people were giving accounts on how the toxic environment at their workplace is taking a toll on their mental health.

Additionally, Covid-19 has caused a surge in mental health cases as its effects include high levels of depression, anxiety and stress, thus causing a tremendous dip in productivity.

For employees to work at their best and contribute to the success of their organisation it is crucial for employers to come up a mental health policy to promote and protect the wellbeing of their employees.

The following steps will help an organisation create a proper mental health policy.

1. Identify existing policies, programmes and practices

This includes scrutinising the current human resource policies and practices and conducting a review and analysis as to whether they have inculcated matters of mental health and if not, identify the gaps that need to be addressed.

2. Review and analyse existing data

Some organisations have easy access to a range of data, and others have separate, disconnected groups of data. Combine your sets of data, establish a baseline for improvement and compare this against any relevant external reports or research. There is need to analyse the findings in a way that highlights the key areas for improvement so you know what to measure.

Some of the internal data that can be utilised include: bullying and sexual harassment claims, absenteeism reports, stress claims, exit interview data, drug or alcohol related incidents, measurements of workplace productivity and employee performance review feedback.

The external data to be looked into includes: The Auditor General’s Report, World Health Organisation’s Report, The State and Government’s report and research papers from reputable health institutions and organisations.

3. Consultation with staff to seek feedback on the organisation’s current approach

The management or working group should seek feedback to ensure they have a broad and accurate picture of current issues and gaps. This can be done through qualitative techniques such as conducting surveys. It is also important to seek external feedback to ensure the organisation is gathering information from a range of sources to inform the policy. External stakeholders could include professional bodies and industry associations.

4. Creation of the policy

Once this information is gathered, the organisation may create a mental health policy from an informed point of view. For starters, the organisation may establish desired outcomes and goals of the policy, for example through the development of an overarching statement, highlighting the immediate goals and what success looks like for the workplace mental health policy.

This should be clear and simple enough for the strategy team to work towards then create a simple and informative mental health policy for the employees and make it easily accessible. The policy should address all the underlying mental issues as highlighted by the staff and also advocate for persons to speak out when faced with a mental health condition to combat the stigma that comes with it.

Organisations with additional resources may further create partnerships or collaborations with persons with mental health expertise to provide counselling platforms and also ensure their employees are involved in interactive training sessions in relation to matters mental health. A case in point is the Weza Platform which provides online counselling sessions and their target market is organisations.

It is important to note that a mentally healthy person is a productive person. Therefore, it is about time that organisations started investing in the mental welfare of their employees for optimum results and above all to reduce the stigma created around mental health.

By Lynette Etemesi

The writer is Lawyer, Intellectual property and Tax, CPM and Mental Health Advocate.

By Lynette Etemesi

Many of us perceive “grief” as being a response to losing someone we love while in the actual sense, grief is actually a much more of a complex phenomenon. Dealing with any kind of loss can involve a grief process, even if that loss isn’t exactly tangible.

During this Covid-19 period, there is so much to grieve for and this includes a collective loss of normalcy, and for many of us, we’ve lost a sense of connection, routine, and certainty about the future.

Some of us have already lost jobs and even loved ones. Moreover, there is a lingering sense that more loss is still to come. That sense of fearful anticipation is what is termed as ‘anticipatory grief.’

Here are some of the signs you may experience.

ONE GETS EXTREMELY WORKED UP ON THINGS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL

Small obstacles suddenly feel intolerable. These obstacles often serve as unconscious reminders that things aren’t the same triggering grief and a sense of loss, even when we aren’t aware of it.

If you find yourself getting worked up more often, be gentle with yourself. This is a completely normal reaction during this difficult period.

Immense withdrawal — when we feel overwhelmed and emotionally triggered, it makes more sense to withdraw from others. If we can barely keep ourselves afloat, avoiding other people can feel like we’re protecting ourselves from their stress and anxiety.

However, isolation is likely to increase sentiments of depression and anxiety. It is important to stay connected to others and we can do that by keeping firm boundaries about what kinds of support we can offer.

PANDEMIC-INDUCED EXHAUSTION

Being so activated on a daily basis can really tire us out, making exhaustion a conventional grief experience.

This is particularly difficult at a time when so many people are talking about how productive they’ve been while self-isolating. It can feel pretty heart-wrenching to hear about others starting new projects or are on the path to self-development yet you’re feeling lethargic and getting out of bed seems difficult.

Currently, if all you can do is keep yourself safe and sane, that’s more than good enough. Preparation of the worst case Scenario

Preparedness is important, but if you find yourself fixated on the most disastrous possibilities you may be doing more harm than good as this triggers chronic stress. Self-care during this period is of the highest importance.

Some of the coping mechanisms may include:

AFFIRMATION OF YOUR SENTIMENTS

Everyone will experience grief in a different manner and none of the feelings you’re having are unreasonable during such a difficult time. They are valid. Be kind to yourself.

BRING IT BACK TO BASICS

It’s especially important to stay fed, hydrated, and rested at this time. If you’re struggling with this. Self-care is important. Your body is a reflection of your mind therefore you need to take care of it.

Connect with others, even when you don’t want to. It can be tempting to shut everyone out when you’re overwhelmed and triggered. Human connection is a critical part of our well-being and your loved ones are fundamental when it comes to offering emotional support.

PRIORITISE REST AND RELAXATION

When our anxiety is triggered, we tend to feel extremely lethargic and exhausted. Listen to your body, rest when exhausted.

EXPRESS YOURSELF

Creative outlets are, especially helpful right now. Try journaling, drawing, cooking or whatever helps you to process what’s happening for you emotionally.

TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL

Online therapy is a blessing right now. If you can access it, therapists are a vital resource for moving through grief and anxiety at this time.

Currently, there are many professionals that have set up online therapy platforms at a reasonable fee and there is also the government hotline — 1199 — which one can use when they are feeling mentally distressed.

THE EVENTUALITY OF ANTICIPATORY GRIEF IS ACCEPTANCE

There is a monumental shift around us and the struggles you are facing are completely comprehensible as a lot of us are grieving in this particular way.

Acceptance is key in dealing with anticipatory grief and as you get to this stage, be gentle with yourself, always keep in mind that you will weather this particular storm and that you are worthy of support.