New research suggests job stress is not the only factor that contributes to the familiar feeling of "burnout."
A recent study suggests home life should be factored in when determining the best ways to boost mental health in the workplace, Université de Montréal reported.
"To maintain a truly healthy workforce, we need to look outside the office or home in simple terms to combat mental health issues in the workplace," said lead author Alain Marchand, professor at the University of Montreal's School of Industrial Relations
Researchers looked at 1,954 employees from 63 different organizations and pinpointed a number of factors that contribute to mental health problems in the workplace. The research team polled each participant to determine influences such as "parental status, household income, social network, gender, age, physical health and levels of self-esteem." They then measured these factors alongside work stressors such as emotional exhaustion, lack of authority, and job insecurity.
The researchers determined mental health in the workplace is not only what occurs on site, but is highly affected by a person's home life as well.
The study revealed people who lived with a partner or in families with young children, had a large network outside of the office, had higher incomes, or had the least work-family conflict, tended to have the lowest rate of mental health problems in the workplace. Fewer mental health problems were also seen in individuals who felt secure in their jobs, met the expectations of their positions, and were supported at work. Higher levels of skill were also linked to lower rates of depression, suggesting that it is healthy to give employees a reasonable amount of motivation and challenge.
"This is a call to action," said senior author Steve Harvey, professor of management and dean of Concordia's John Molson School of Business. "Researchers need to expand their perspective, so that they get a full picture of the complexity of factors that determine individuals' mental health."
The findings were published in a recent edition of the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.
