Organisational leadership key to workplace mental well-being

The report is a collaboration between October Health and Gordon Institute of Business (GIBS).

Tech innovator, October Health provides organisations with an AI-driven digital platform that enables proactive mental health care, while GIBS is a well-established education provider renowned for its focus on humane leadership development. The GIBS October Health Workplace Well-being Report 2024 is based on the survey results of South Africa’s first evidence-based Workplace Well-being Index which aims to measure the state of employees’ mental well-being in South African workplaces and the factors affecting well-being.

Previous research by October Health shows that employee mental health challenges causing lost productivity through absenteeism and presenteeism cost the economy an estimated R250 billion, which reduces South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 4.5% each year.

What is the current state of workplace well-being in SA?

The GIBS October Health Workplace Well-being Report 2024 has highlighted the importance of psychological safety in the workplace. Alon Lits, co-founder of October Health, says, “Our data shows that well-being is enhanced in workplaces where employees feel comfortable sharing concerns without fear of negative consequences. Organisations that foster open, supportive environments see better employee engagement and mental health outcomes. Therefore, counteracting the stigma of mental health issues, normalising experiences of stress, anxiety and depression, promoting open communications around well-being topics and proactively making resources available to employees, help to create a work environment that enhances productivity and performance.”

According to Dr Frank Magwegwe, principal researcher, GIBS faculty and author of the report, the findings reveal that overall well-being spans distinct but overlapping domains - mental, physical, financial, social, emotional, and work. He says, “One of our key insights is that leaders and managers can directly influence the mental and emotional state of employees. Intentional initiatives that boost the well-being of staff can significantly enhance workplace productivity and resilience by reducing absenteeism, improving employee engagement, and fostering a supportive work environment. When employees feel supported, they are more likely to perform at their best, be highly engaged, and remain loyal to the organisation that provides not just employment and security, but a sense of purpose and fulfilment.”

The report found that age, gender, and income had no statistically significant association with overall well-being. However, racial differences were noted with white participants reporting lower overall well-being compared to Black participants. Overall, participants revealed that despite the prevalence of mental health challenges, they are surprisingly resilientand they recorded relatively high well-being scores except for the financial domain.

Prof. Louise Whittaker, deputy dean of GIBS, concludes, “In our approach to leadership development, GIBS is focused on embedding employee well-being as a leadership priority in South African organisations. Working together with October Health on this workplace well-being report, we have aimed to provide insights into the overall well-being of working South Africans and to clarify factors that influence various domains of well-being. Going forward, we intend to continue to track the overall well-being of working South Africans across the interconnected six dimensions of well-being, as well as the availability of well-being resources in the workplace and the role of leadership in overall workplace well-being. We hope that over time we will see greater worker well-being awareness among South African employers and the availability of proactive, relevant and meaningful worker well-being programmes. The high costs of productivity loss due to mental health challenges shows that organisations cannot rely solely on the fortitude of their workers. There still needs to be a mind shift from well-being or performance to well-being and performance.”

Click here to download the report.