Suicide is becoming a common phenomenon these days. Recently a 38-year-old engineer from Dombivali committed suicide by jumping off Atal Setu in Mumbai. However, several such similar cases took place in the past few months. A 42-year-old employee Tarun Saxena killed himself over alleged work stress and claimed in his suicide note that his seniors pressurised him at office. In another incident, a 22-year-old bank employee committed suicide at his PG room in Powai.
Meanwhile, a month ago, the untimely demise of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a promising young professional at Ernst & Young (EY), Pune, due to extreme work pressure is something that has brought suicide cases in limelight. The incident, which took place in September, also created outrage on social media.
Reason behind all these and many more cases is work pressure that harms mental health of people to an extent that they tend to commit suicide. At various conglomerates the work environment is toxic and employees cannot handle work pressure.
Speaking with Mumbai Live, Smita Shetty Kapoor, CEO & Co-founder, Kelp said, “Mental health is gaining the attention it deserves, especially in light of tragic incidents involving employees at EY and Bajaj Finance. Burnout is a growing challenge in today’s fast-paced work environment, but effective workload management can mitigate its risks. The foundation lies in clear job descriptions and well-defined expectations. By aligning employee capacity with their roles, organisations can distribute tasks more efficiently, preventing overload.”
Human resources of all companies play a crucial role for employee wellbeing. Many HR departments organise seminars to create an awareness about employees' mental health state's importance and how they can deal with pressure and other issues. Speaking about what the human resource department should do, she said that HR can provide immediate relief through Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), offering access to counselling and mental health resources. Mentoring or coaching may also be provided, allowing employees to navigate challenges with personalised support.
In a conversation with Mumbai Live about how HRs can help Ruchi Tambi, HR at Gradding.com said that the following can help to assess HRs to monitor stress levels of employees:
1. One-on-one Meetings: Individual meetings with the employees help to understand the employees' mindset and take action accordingly.
2. Anonymous Feedback: The feedback taken by the HR team from all the employees without letting their identity be revealed is the best way to solve their issues individually. Besides, this provides the information to managers and helps them identify potential burnout risks. Moreover, this way the employee efficiently addresses the issues they face.
She said, “Another way to curb stress is Fun Fridays/Saturdays and Team Outing that also encourages friendly bonds between employees.”
Emphasizing on employees point of view, Darsh Kumar from Aczet Pvt Ltd said: “It is necessary for the companies to understand that work pressure will eventually slow their growth rate. A rush in work may lead to minor mistakes and eventually loss of projects. Employees should feel like they are working for their own company. Many managers and bosses constantly keep poking employees building the pressure, sometimes even for unachievable targets. Addressing these issues requires a cultural shift within organizations. Companies should prioritize mental health resources, promote open conversations about stress, and implement policies that support work-life balance."
Stress is something that can be dealt at an early stage if you recognise all the symptoms.
Symptoms of Stress:
Frequent headaches, hyperacidity, gastrointestinal disturbances, irritable bowel motions, muscle tension, migraine, tension headaches, joint pains, and other minor aches and pains. Keep an eye out for changes in sleep patterns, such as difficulties falling asleep, many awakenings in the middle of the night, early morning awakenings, or excessive sleeping. Persistent weariness, low energy, and changes in appetite or weight are also good markers.