The Olympics have made it clear how mental health affects athletes who endure the pressure of the world watching, while they perform feats of strength and endurance with grace. We expect them to be super human, but the reality is they are not and sometimes they get mentally overwhelmed. They may have to endure criticism from people who perceive mental illness as a weakness. This creates even more pressure and soon the athlete loses concentration and fears injury. This can be the situation in the work world as well. When people see a co-worker struggling mentally, they can either perceive it as a weakness and a chance to gain an advantage or have some level of understanding and support them.
Mental health in the workplace is an overlooked issue, which is surprising considering how much stress and anxiety people experience at work. Human resources should provide mental health awareness materials and someone employees can talk to when they have a mental issue they are struggling with at work. Anxiety can be debilitating for some, because constant stress eventually catches up to you. Yes, there might be some cost to provide employees with peace of mind at work, although in the long run it will be worth it. Mental health awareness in the workplace will decrease office tension, making the work environment a more positive and productive place. Employees need to know they are supported when they have a mental issue at work.