PETALING JAYA: Workplace stress may not only take a toll on employees but also affect employers through higher staff turnover, recruitment costs and lost productivity, says an integrative psychotherapy consultant, Mej (R) Dr Amit Janardhan.
He said organisations need to recognise employee mental health as a strategic business issue rather than simply an individual concern.
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Dr Amit said the effects of workplace stress could extend beyond the affected employee, influencing colleagues, team dynamics, decision-making, productivity and family life.
He likened workplace stress to “the Brownian movement of smoke in a confined space”, where it might originate from one source but gradually permeate the environment and affect everyone sharing that space.
“When one individual is struggling, the workplace feels it. When an entire workplace is under strain, families and eventually society can feel the effects too.
“The mental health of employees is not merely a human resources initiative but a strategic business investment,” said the former Armed Forces medical doctor.
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Dr Amit said prolonged workplace stress could contribute to absenteeism, burnout and eventually workers leaving the workforce altogether.
He pointed out that workplace stress was not by itself a mental health disorder.
“Chronic and unaddressed stress can act as a Trojan horse, initially appearing harmless or transient while gradually exerting cumulative effects that undermine overall functioning,” he said.
He added that prolonged stress could disrupt sleep, affect mood and concentration, strain relationships and adversely affect physical health.
Dr Amit said it could also worsen anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, insomnia, addictions and trauma-related symptoms, while contributing to physical problems such as headaches, gastrointestinal issues, chronic pain and eczema.
He said employees should consider professional help if symptoms such as persistent brain fog, anxiety, low mood, sleep changes, emotional outbursts, social withdrawal, loss of interest, declining performance or unexplained physical symptoms persist despite adequate rest and usual coping strategies.
He said care should be personalised, with some benefiting from destressors, psychoeducation and psychotherapy while others may require specialised psychiatric management.
“Some workers are now walking away from stressful workplaces without another job lined up. This shows that protecting mental health can become more important than protecting a pay cheque,” he said.
“Workplace stress is therefore not just an individual issue but an organisational and economic one. Investing in mental health can improve well-being and productivity while reducing disruption.”
Assoc Prof Dr Fauziah Mohd Saad, a psychologist and counsellor at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) said some employees may chose to remain silent of their plight as they fear being judged, losing promotion opportunities, receiving poor performance evaluations or facing retaliation.
“Some also believe unhealthy workplace conditions are normal and blame themselves for not being able to cope,” she said.
Assoc Prof Fauziah said excessive workloads, pressure from bosses and poor treatment could gradually cause emotional exhaustion, anxiety, low self-confidence and burnout.
“If such conditions continued, employees could feel helpless, disengaged and mentally drained,” she added.
She said employers should address the causes of stress rather than relying solely on stress-management programmes.
Assoc Prof Fauziah said this included ensuring reasonable workloads, realistic deadlines, supportive leadership, fair treatment, safe complaint channels, counselling support and early intervention when employees showed signs of distress.
