The pandemic has blurred the lines between work and private life, which could have an effect on mental well-being
This Sadly, the issue of well-being and mental health in the media industry – which is notorious for its long hours and often stressful working conditions – is rarely brought to the fore.
Such a situation can often lead to a toxic work environment. Some of the most common signs include an increased and unreasonable workload, a boss who openly berates an employee in front of others or frequently finds fault with their work, and a general feeling that the office is not a safe space.
These are just some of the signs listed in the recent Workplace Well-being in the Media webinar hosted by Telum Media on January 19.
Webinar panelists included CNN Philippines Correspondent Rex Remitio, CNA Digital Senior Reporter Grace Yeoh, The Star Health Deputy Editor Tan Shiow Chin, and Vim & Vigor PR Founder/CEO Lynda Williams, who is also co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Soothe, a digital media company focused on wellness.
Workplace toxicity was one of the topics discussed at the event. As a toxic environment can have a mental and emotional impact on an employee, panelists felt that the employee should raise the issue to a higher level in a company, or get out of the situation and look for another job.
However, when should one decide to leave?
Williams felt that an employee should exhaust all avenues before deciding to leave the company for good. First, they need to talk to both their boss and the HR department.
She added: “When toxicity happens it’s quite emotional so it’s important to note the facts – how [often] the person becomes angry, manipulative, exhibits narcissistic or gaslighting behavior – such as [it] happens in a workplace.
“If you are in pain, it is important to start noticing exactly what happened and when it happened, the cause and the ramifications (of such behavior). If the boss or the HR department doesn’t understand or isn’t able to come up with a solution, then it’s time to walk away.
Aside from bosses, a toxic workplace can also result from conflicts with co-workers, which can also lead to toxic behaviors.
“Just be aware that you’re not helping to feed the toxic culture,” Yeoh noted.
She added that workers need to take responsibility for their own behavior and not get involved in this toxic cycle or fuel the toxic culture. Instead of adding to the toxic culture, an employee should step out of the cycle.
Reconciling work and life
When the Covid-19 pandemic started, most countries implemented strict containment measures and working from home (WFH) became the norm, which forced employees to work longer hours.
From an eight-hour schedule, employees found themselves working all day from home, leading to an imbalance between personal and professional life.
“The lines have certainly blurred. People were getting up early and going to their laptops in their pajamas, or (they were) finishing up really late,” Williams said.
Some companies even added to previous employee workloads and responsibilities because they believed employees had too much free time.
This has resulted in an unhealthy situation for employees working around the clock, which has had a negative impact on their mental and physical well-being.
Williams said it was important to strike the balance and set boundaries with bosses about what is acceptable and what is not.
A good manager or employer needs to know what’s best for their team, as well as support and truly understand their employees’ needs and their current state of well-being. For example, an employee may have various concerns, such as wanting to leave work early to pick up a child.
Bosses can come up with ideas or activities that team members can do together and enjoy, and feel positive or nurtured in the workplace. One is to go out for lunch or have a group coffee or tea outside of the office and bond in a casual, unprofessional setting.
Take care of mental health
One of the main topics of discussion was how journalists have to deal with deadlines, long hours and stress, which can cause burnout, anxiety and fatigue.
Panelists suggested reducing working hours, implementing good time management, or prioritizing important tasks. All of these steps can help, but they emphasized that most importantly, an employee needs to look within and ask themselves, “Why am I pushing so hard?”
One of the panelists shared that the endless hunt (for deadlines or the next story) can make a reporter feel good about themselves. They suggested finding the source of this and whether it stems from the need to be a “people pleaser” or the need for validation from their boss.
The key is to find out their purpose – “Do you live to work or work to live?” – and make the necessary changes in their lives.
Panelists also agreed that employees should learn to take charge and take care of themselves, such as exercising, in order to present the best version of themselves. Time management should also be practiced to prevent work from spilling over into personal time.
Williams also suggested finding a new interest or activity outside of work in order to feel invigorated and have something that can refresh both body and mind.
It is also important to be able to recognize signs of stress or exhaustion in others.
One of the best ways to deal is to approach the person and simply ask, “How are you or how are you feeling now?” and prepare to listen to the answers, sincerely.
By simply asking a few key questions, you can encourage a person to open up and share their concerns and issues.
According to another panelist, bosses should get rid of any type of judgment against the employee before asking questions and they added that the boss should also not share the employee’s concerns or challenges with others ( if it is a matter of confidentiality).
