Mental health and Professionalism

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Finding the balance between good mental health and professionalism in a work environment is no easy feat. The behaviour of those around us can affect our mental health, and it is important to demonstrate professionalism at work. Ever wonder what the role of professionalism (or the lack of) plays on your mental health in the workplace? Um-hum... Consider this …. professionalism in the workplace is as important to one’s mental health as nutrition to the body. The Oxford dictionary defines professionalism as standard(s) expected from someone trained in a particular job; or one who does a job that requires special training, and advanced education. However, I like the definition on Wikipedia which I interpret to mean a set of principles of conduct expected of an individual to adhere to in a workplace, which exemplifies respect (including for ‘self’), integrity, and collegiality among each other. I would even expand on the interpretation in the OD of advanced education to mean not only advanced knowledge in a specific field of work, but advanced knowledge in ethics, standards, and code of conduct, that are often associated with agencies that govern these works. To get a better connection between the lack of professionalism in the workplace and the impact on your mental health, let us consider what the issues are in most workplaces that incur mental health challenges. 1) Gossips/rumours, 2) poor communication, 3) poor leadership, 4) insubordination (yes, I know many people don’t like the word, but it is often relevant), 5) lack of autonomy, 6) micro-management, 7) micro-aggressions, 8) prejudices, 9) biases, 10) competition, 11) rivalry)… you get the drift. There are other social, psychological, physical, and emotional issues beyond the scope of this brief blog.

Let us continue by considering what we mean when we talk about 'the workplace.' In my view, the workplace includes any location where individuals conduct tasks for which they have been prepared or trained. The workplace is not just an office—it may be a factory, manufacturing plant, field, sports arena, or even the House of Commons. The professional sport athlete’s workspace is like any other work environment and all participants (players, umpires, referees, …) should adhere to standards of respect, decency, and care. In all workspaces certain behaviors can affect the way people cope successfully within and outside of the work environment. By behaving professionally, individuals help shield one another from challenges previously identified that could impact mental health.

 Think about it, how damaging is gossip? - that act of reporting or sharing unsubstantiated information about someone; or the negative impact of excluding a co-worker or colleague from work related issues or workplace social gathering because of personal biases or prejudices; making someone feel disempowered or belittled by a casual remark which might be insulting or undermining. We have all experienced these negative emotions and feelings association with such conducts. So where does this lead us? Well… lets look at the absence of integrity, respect, and collegiality and how they may impact the work environment. Let us use the hockey rink, or on the basketball court, or on the tennis court as examples. The presence of “trash talk” is highly revered and even touted as motivating, promoting “rivalry” and spurring on wins. However, few people would consider trash talk respectful or honorable…period. Instead, such behaviors often lead to aggression and resentment and not the true spirit of rivalry. The behavior of shouting negative and degrading insults or speaking over each other in such places as the House of Commons, does nothing to suggest collegiality, or respect for oneself or others, and such behavior certainly does not improve one’s mental wellness. Competition and having a voice are all essential aspects for self-growth, and mental health empowerment, if done with the proper decorum. Although rivalry denotes competition, it is frequently characterised by an undertone of heightened aggression, distinguishing it from mere competitive spirit. The words and tone in which we communicate with each other send messages that can positively or negatively affect us.

 So how can we promote more professionalism in the workplaces? Although professionalism grows with experience, personal qualities play a key role in one's dedication to it. Let us start by reviewing our knowledge of workplace policies. Starting with the job description. Are we over our heads in what we have applied for? Have we had training for this job, or do our expectations fall outside the confine of the job description? What are the expectations regarding our appearance, attitude, concentration, and productivity? What policies violate our own values and code of ethics, and what are those of the employer; are we aligned? It is difficult to act professionally when you do not respect the values of the place for which you are working. As employees of the company, failing to follow policies, procedures, or instructions related to our jobs is unprofessional behaviour. Professionalism has much to do with effective communication and as mentioned above tone plays a significant role in the way we speak to each other. Language, tone, volume, and cadence all have a way of emitting respect in a conversation or an interaction. My simplistic view on integrity is simple us holding ourselves accountable to do the “right thing” follow directions, policies, or procedures. Reliability, dependability, honesty, and dedication are character traits that are part of one’s value system that help to shape his or her moral compass. These attributes foster trust and enhance autonomy, which in turn diminishes the need for micro-management.

OK, I understand respect, and integrity will enhance professionalism and thus improve the way one copes effectively in the work environment, but how does collegiality benefit mental wellness in the workplace? Modern workplaces are characterised by significant diversity, with inclusivity now being a common expectation. To me collegiality means how we support each other in the workplace/space - we do not have to be friends, but we can be friendly toward each other. I do not have to tell you the positive ramifications of being supportive. Offering proper support can help resolve mental health issues in the workplace. Getting the support of others fosters a sense of belonging, and inclusivity. Collegiality offers strength in number to bring about changes that would otherwise be impossible individually. In addition, such togetherness helps and enhances work productivity, harmony, and effectiveness in collaboration. Working together as a team becomes significantly easier. These three mentioned factors (respect, integrity, and collegiality) which are components of professionalism invariable affect the psyche differently if they are present of absent. A healthy work environment results when both employers and employees follow these principles.

Take care of your mental health.

By YesterYearsMemriz