Employers urged to prioritise mental health of their workers

Employers have been called upon to put measures in place that ensure the mental well-being of their employees. This comes amid concerns about the rising burden of mental health especially among youth in the country.

Various experts acknowledged that workplaces should enable employees to be comfortable enough to be who they are and to be able to deliver for the organisation at their highest capacity.

Speaking at the ongoing Hearth summit in Nairobi, Group HR Manager at Radio Africa Group Jemima Ngode said that employees need to understand their job description and to know what is required of them.

"An employee should understand their key deliverable indicators because what motivates them to come to work is knowing what they are expected to do and what you need them to bring," Ngode said.

She noted that involving them in decision-making, getting to know them and understanding what works for them is key.

Ngode said that employers can easily notice that something is not right in the workplace by noticing indicators such as having several sick notes.

"You can tell by how they receive communication, if it is negative you stop and do an analysis. You should be sensitive enough to know something is not right," Ngode said.

Google country director for East Africa Agnes Gathaiya said a healthy workplace is where leadership promotes the psychological safety of employees.

She noted that sometimes unnecessary hierarchy could lead to a lot of chit-chat within the organisation since employees lack someone to talk to.

The experts emphasized the importance of partnering with institutions that provide mental health services to cater for employees' well-being at all times.

"Communication is a key indicator to tell us whether the environment is good. Over-communication is better than little communication or no communication at all," Caren Wakoli, a certified leadership coach said.

Special Programmes Coordinator at the Union of Civil Servants Winnie Lago called on employers to ensure workplaces support the employee's social, mental and psychological well-being.

The two-day summit brings together more than 300 change makers to discuss well-being and lay a roadmap for collective action for the well-being of society.

The summit is being hosted by Wellbeing Project and Axum, bringing together a diverse group of industry visionaries, innovators, and dedicated professionals committed to shaping societal well-being.