Do YOU understand them? Both onshore and at sea!
People spend up to one third or more of their adult lives at work, and workplace issues are a common source of stress for many. This is never truer than in the maritime industry, especially in the commercial fishing and charter sectors.
It is impossible to have a workplace where everyone’s roles, expectations, and personalities work perfectly together, without conflict. As such, certain workplace issues may cause negative psychological symptoms.
Research shows perceived stress in the workplace, for example, is associated with a higher prevalence of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Common workplace issues that workers and crew members face include:
The workplace is typically an environment in which people with different personalities, communication styles, and worldviews interact. These differences are one potential source of workplace issues and can ultimately lead to stress and tension for those involved. Although all employees have the right to be treated fairly and to feel safe in the workplace, some employees face bullying, harassment, and/or discrimination.
Workplace issues can lead to decreased performance and productivity, loss of job/termination, decreased satisfaction/happiness, stress, and a wide variety of mental health issues. Harassment in the workplace can also lead to legal troubles.
Some jobs involve a particularly high degree of stress. One theory, known as the job demand-control (JDC) model, posits that high degrees of work stress are prevalent in jobs with many demands and little control over working conditions.
Work-related stress is a significant problem, with an estimated 40% of workers describing their job as very or extremely stressful. In addition to mental health symptoms, work-related stress can cause physical health problems such as heart attacks, hypertension, pain, and insomnia.
The decision to disclose a mental health condition to an employer can be a difficult one. Employers have a “duty of care” and WHS obligations to their workers and crew members and therefore should consider all the factors when considering terminating a worker or crew member
Workers and crew members with mental health conditions who make a disclosure may still face negative consequences such as not getting promoted, being treated differently, or even being fired. For this reason, many workers and crew members may not feel safe disclosing their mental health condition.
While informing a manager, the owner or Master about mental health issues can help them get additional support there is also the potential for stigma and other negative effects. Ultimately, the decision to disclose is a personal one.
PSYCHOTHERAPY CAN HELP WITH WORKPLACE ISSUES
Psychotherapy aims to help people with or without mental health issues to understand their feelings, thoughts and actions better and to discover their own resilience. While psychotherapy can’t stop stressful events, it can give you the power to cope in a healthy way.
There are various ways in which therapy may be useful to help resolve workplace issues. Therapy can effectively treat depression, anxiety, and other mental health symptoms that result from workplace issues. Therapists can also teach healthy coping skills that workers and crew members may use to manage work-related stress and other issues.
If for any reason you suspect you’re suffering from workplace issues don’t hesitate to contact our office and tell us about your concerns in a confidential, safe environment.
Or if you feel a co-worker may need support and you are unsure where to begin, or need support yourself in handling the situation, we are more than happy to assist you both.
In our office we have the right person to help you and start you in the right direction to dealing with any issues you may be facing.
