Human resources experts have expressed alarm about the increase in mental health issues in the workplace where mental health status is fragile and breaking down.
Through the Institute of Human Resources Management (IHRM), the practitioners said in Nairobi employers are increasingly concerned about the number of workers whose mental health status is getting in the way of work.
They linked this condition to the pressures of the the Covid-19 pandemic.
Joseph Onyango, the IHRM Council national chairman, said this prompted the institute to partner with Chiromo Mental Health Hospital to develop a comprehensive policy to address mental health issues.
"Currently, the policy is at public participation stage," he said on Friday night in a Nairobi Hotel where the institute hosted an awards ceremony and gala dinner for firms and individuals.
Last month, a survey jointly released by the Institute and hospital, showed more than 70 per cent of workers in various segments of the public and private labour force have never been screened for depression. Not from a qualified mental health specialist.
The mental health and productivity baseline survey conducted recently among human resource managers also found the cost for depression screening is exorbitant. Therefore most people seeking this service must manage it it quietly o their own.
In the survey, 80.6 percent of the HR managers surveyed said employees lack access to mental health self-assessment tools.
“There is a lack of proper policies and guidelines to address mental health; a shortage of training to support others deal with their issues, and slow or lack of prompt management action to handle mental health issues,"the HRs said during the survey conducted between September and October 15 this year.
Onyango said capacity building is needed for both managers and staff members on mental health.
“We need to put structures and policies in place to support the well-being of employees that should be facilitated by top management goodwill, and budget allocation for mental health,” he said.
He expressed hope for a working document as soon as possible, so workers and their employers can start to talk about mental health issues in their workplaces more openly as a way of finding therapy.
He also called on organisations to mainstream their HR activities with technology which without, companies cannot achieve the optimum economic output.
Ministry of Health data shows that depression contributes to 10 per cent of time off work by employees, with an average of 36 workdays lost per depression episode.
Dr. Frank Njenga, the Presidential Adviser on Mental Health, confirmed the statistics, noting that in recent times the situation has worsened, perhaps du to Covid-19.
He said the symptoms of depression, such as difficulties in concentrating, making decisions and remembering, are present in as much as 94 per cent of the time during an episode of depression.
“This causes significant impairment in work function and productivity,” Dr Njenga said. He was a guest speaker during the 25th annual national HRM conference in Mombasa last week. The conference’s theme was 'Transition: Anchoring Resilience'.
The situation, he said, has been worsened by the fact that 50 per cent of the people living with depression are untreated due to stigma and lack of access to care.
On Friday night, the HR practitioners deplored the underfunding of the HR function despite its critical role in the economy.
They called on the government to recognise the HR contribution to the growth of the country and allocate more resources.
HR consultant Eliud Owalos said the HR function is integral in the growth of the economy, and therefore it is necessary to take a keen interest in addressing challenges facing it.
"HR in any organisation plays an integral role. If it is about strategic planning — which is the basis of everything happening in the organisation — HR is the key thematic area.
"When you talk about organisational restructuring, HR is at the core of it. When undertaking job evaluation , the HR function facilitates everything. When you talk about undertaking training needs assessment, HR is the key driver.
So as an HR practitioner, I am happy the HR function is actually getting its place within the Kenyan corporate world," Owalo, who was admitted as a fellow of the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM)m said.
He said because of misplaced priorities, the HR function has suffered immense challenges.
"Given the limited resources with which we are operating as a country, whenever there are budgetary cuts, the first place that's targeted is HR; either they are downsizing staff, rationalisation, or cutting down training and capacity-building interventions within the organisation, the HR is the first to feel the weight," he said.
Owalo said it is urgent to get HR to play its fundamental role, and also to get recognised at the level commensurate with its contributing component within the economy.
"Some organisations operate without a strategic plan, so it makes work very difficult from the HR point of view to determine the staffing component," he said. Too much political meddling in the HR function, especially in the public sector, impacts negatively on the HR function.
He called on the government to put more money into skills and capacity-building of public sector staff.
Wasike Fred, HR director at Isuzu East Africa company, was awarded the HR Director of the year 2021.
He said at the company, the HR department is the driver of its performance. It has scooped the top position in the country for the last nine nears.
"I encourage all HR practitioners to play their rightful roles to be business people and hold their companies together," he said.
He said in Kenya HR has been on a good course since the enactment of the Human Resources Professionals Management Act and the introduction of the certification process, CHRP for HR professionals, a critical tool that has entrenched HR in the country.
Sylvester Kasuku, the Nairobi governor's legal adviser, said HR is key for growth and development of any country.
"Africa failed to industrialise because it did not have the requisite human capacity. We know that going forward; Africa is now ready to step forward because of the ready human capital. Kenya is one of those countries now."
(Edited by V.Graham)