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暑期历来是阳光和放松的代名词。不过今年暑期,我们却可能迎来一场心理健康危机。因为现在美国每五个人中,就至少有一个人患有心理疾病。
很多人认为,到了夏季,人体血清素水平会有所升高。但事实上,我们在夏季会感受到更高的压力。因此,我们在暑期休假是很有必要的——美国有53%的成年人有暑期休假的计划。但由于休假本身也会带来压力,所以也有很多人因此患上了“休假焦虑”。
调查显示,近一半(47%)的员工今年夏季出现了不好意思休假的心理,这也充分说明了劳动者目前承担的巨大工作压力。还有越来越多的员工选择“偷偷休假”,也就是说,员工在雇主期望之外的地点工作,而没有向雇主正式报告。这看似是员工重视休假,但实际上反映了用人单位对休假问题缺乏公开沟通,同时也缺乏对工作压力问题的正确认识。很多员工不堪重负,但又不敢休假,也不敢承认自己已经不堪重负。这说明企业迫切需要营造一种坦率沟通的环境,并且有必要采取措施维护员工的心理健康。
除了工作压力,还有很多外部因素也会导致压力水平的上升。不管你是坐在办公桌前,还是躺在海滩上,不良念头都会时不时地侵袭你的脑子。比如很多人一到夏天就会有身材焦虑。这貌似是一种个人问题,但身材焦虑已经在影响着将近五分之一的职场人。
另一个令人担忧的问题是正在席卷全美的热浪。高温也会挑战劳动者对天气的忍耐极限。极端天气还可能导致脱水或中暑。虽然这些症状是身体上的,但疲劳和注意力下降等也会影响员工的专注度和处理问题的能力。
另外,如果重视程度不够的话,夏季的压力增高问题还会导致一些基础症状加剧,甚至有可能危及生命。研究表明,压力事件与重度抑郁发作之间存在一定的因果关系,而重度抑郁已经成了当前职场人面临的一个重大威胁。
当然,虽然夏季人的压力水平会有所升高,但我们首先要认识到,心理健康症状在一年的任何时候都有可能出现,不管这个季节的文化内涵是积极的还是消极的。
如果你是一个企业管理人员,而且夏季员工心理压力增高问题已经引起了你的重视,那么作为一名心理学家,我建议你及时采取措施,认真思考应对员工心理健康问题的策略。
如果你能看到员工的总体健康数据的话,那么你应该重视其中是不是有季节性因素。比如,如果你公司的财政年度是在每年三月份结束,那么你可能会在早春季节发现心理高危员工的人数飙升。
另外,企业应培养一种重视员工身心健康的文化,营造一个安全的、支持性的环境,让员工在有需要时可以随时安心寻求帮助——即便是在暑期。否则,各种规模和形式的心理健康问题只会在这个夏天愈演愈烈,而且有可能在接下来的几个月形成更加严重的危机。(财富中文网)
Smriti Joshi是Wysa的首席心理学家。
Fortune.com上发表的评论文章中表达的观点,仅代表作者本人的观点,不代表《财富》杂志的观点和立场。
译者:朴成奎
暑期历来是阳光和放松的代名词。不过今年暑期,我们却可能迎来一场心理健康危机。因为现在美国每五个人中,就至少有一个人患有心理疾病。
很多人认为,到了夏季,人体血清素水平会有所升高。但事实上,我们在夏季会感受到更高的压力。因此,我们在暑期休假是很有必要的——美国有53%的成年人有暑期休假的计划。但由于休假本身也会带来压力,所以也有很多人因此患上了“休假焦虑”。
调查显示,近一半(47%)的员工今年夏季出现了不好意思休假的心理,这也充分说明了劳动者目前承担的巨大工作压力。还有越来越多的员工选择“偷偷休假”,也就是说,员工在雇主期望之外的地点工作,而没有向雇主正式报告。这看似是员工重视休假,但实际上反映了用人单位对休假问题缺乏公开沟通,同时也缺乏对工作压力问题的正确认识。很多员工不堪重负,但又不敢休假,也不敢承认自己已经不堪重负。这说明企业迫切需要营造一种坦率沟通的环境,并且有必要采取措施维护员工的心理健康。
除了工作压力,还有很多外部因素也会导致压力水平的上升。不管你是坐在办公桌前,还是躺在海滩上,不良念头都会时不时地侵袭你的脑子。比如很多人一到夏天就会有身材焦虑。这貌似是一种个人问题,但身材焦虑已经在影响着将近五分之一的职场人。
另一个令人担忧的问题是正在席卷全美的热浪。高温也会挑战劳动者对天气的忍耐极限。极端天气还可能导致脱水或中暑。虽然这些症状是身体上的,但疲劳和注意力下降等也会影响员工的专注度和处理问题的能力。
另外,如果重视程度不够的话,夏季的压力增高问题还会导致一些基础症状加剧,甚至有可能危及生命。研究表明,压力事件与重度抑郁发作之间存在一定的因果关系,而重度抑郁已经成了当前职场人面临的一个重大威胁。
当然,虽然夏季人的压力水平会有所升高,但我们首先要认识到,心理健康症状在一年的任何时候都有可能出现,不管这个季节的文化内涵是积极的还是消极的。
如果你是一个企业管理人员,而且夏季员工心理压力增高问题已经引起了你的重视,那么作为一名心理学家,我建议你及时采取措施,认真思考应对员工心理健康问题的策略。
如果你能看到员工的总体健康数据的话,那么你应该重视其中是不是有季节性因素。比如,如果你公司的财政年度是在每年三月份结束,那么你可能会在早春季节发现心理高危员工的人数飙升。
另外,企业应培养一种重视员工身心健康的文化,营造一个安全的、支持性的环境,让员工在有需要时可以随时安心寻求帮助——即便是在暑期。否则,各种规模和形式的心理健康问题只会在这个夏天愈演愈烈,而且有可能在接下来的几个月形成更加严重的危机。(财富中文网)
Smriti Joshi是Wysa的首席心理学家。
Fortune.com上发表的评论文章中表达的观点,仅代表作者本人的观点,不代表《财富》杂志的观点和立场。
译者:朴成奎
Summertime is traditionally synonymous with sun and relaxation. However, this summer comes amid a mental health crisis, as more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness.
Paradoxical to the boost in serotonin the summer months are usually associated with, stress is overrunning into warmer days. Summer is for necessary respite—53% of U.S. adults are planning a summer vacation this year. However, the rising stress that comes with taking time off is now making this benefit one engulfed with anxiety.
Almost half (47%) of workers feel guilty for taking a vacation this summer, highlighting the immense pressure employees are feeling from their workload. There has even been a rise in “hush-cations,” when an employee works from a location other than the one their employer expects without officially reporting it as vacation time. This may seem like an effort to prioritize relaxation, but it is actually reflective of a larger concern around the lack of open communication and awareness of stress in the workplace. Staff are too overwhelmed to take proper time off and speak up about their unmanageable workloads, underscoring the pressing need for organizations to create environments that promote authenticity and psychological safety.
Even outside of the more obvious work-related stressors rising this summer, a myriad of external factors are making matters worse. Invasive thoughts do not care if we’re sitting at our desks or lying on the beach. For example, there is pressure to have a “summer beach body.” This worry seems like a personal problem, but negative body confidence affects nearly one in five people in the workplace.
Another growing cause for concern is the heat wave across the United States. High temperatures are pushing the limits of what workers can handle regarding climate anxiety. Extreme weather can also cause dehydration or heat strokes. While these symptoms are physical, they can morph into feelings of guilt as fatigue and a decreased ability to concentrate and focus impact employees’ ability to be fully present and handle their tasks.
When unnoticed, heightened periods of stress during the summer can exacerbate pre-existing problems and manifest into life-threatening incidents. Studies have shown there is a causal relationship between stressful events and episodes of major depression, which is a significant threat to workplaces right now.
As workers grapple with these complex feelings, the first step is to recognize that mental health symptoms can crop up at any time of the year, regardless of the period’s positive cultural connotation.
If the heightened summertime employee stress shocks you as an employer, in my professional capacity as a psychologist, I urge you to take control and rethink strategies to fight mental health issues proactively.
When managers can see aggregated and anonymized data about their employees, they must note any seasonality. If a company’s fiscal year ends in March, they may see a jump in at-risk employees during the early spring.
Companies can help create a culture that prioritizes and values employee well-being and enables a safe and supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable seeking help when needed, even if that’s in the middle of summer. Otherwise, mental health issues of all sizes and forms will only get worse this summer and once again become a shocking threat in months to follow.