Psychological Impact of Workplace Dissatisfaction on the employees, and the Negative Outcomes of it.

 

Human Resources are living resources. Unlike any other resources, the living resources expect a fair return for the work they are providing to the organization. But most of the organizations do not think of the psychological effect that occurs to the employees who are dissatisfied. 

When finally employees are leaving the jobs, the HR department looks for any other suitable applicants and they fulfill their requirement. But most of them never think of what will happen to the employee who is left.

Let us see how a bad working environment affects the employees psychologically.


Increasing Stress and Anxiety

Due to this, a bad effect on mental and physical health occurs. Employees may feel worried about job security, job satisfaction, and would create conflicts with the management.


The Mental Exhaustion

Job dissatisfaction can lead emotional exhaustion, cynisism, and reduction of performance of the employees. Finally, it will demotivate employees and 'working' becomes a mental burden to the employees.


Reducing self-confidence and creating a low self-esteem

When performances are low due to bad working environment, the employees are negatively highlighted in the organization. It reduces self-confidence and damage the self-esteem. This affects employees negatively, and as a result, the employees may start doubting their skills, abilities, and miss the trust they have on themselves. 

The final outcome of this is, they start to feel scared when they are accepting challenges in the working environment. They feel uncomfortable in embracing changes.


The Depression

When employees are continouosly affected by the negative impacts in the working environment, They become depressed.They start feeling sad and unhappy of their own lives, and they feel discomforted in their life styles.

______________________




Have a look at this video clip and understand how an employee can be affected in a bad working environment.





The World Health Organization has published some articles on this important topic, and below are some of the important parts of those articles referring the official website of WHO:


Overview

Almost 60% of the world population is in work (1). All workers have the right to a safe and healthy environment at work. Work can protect mental health. Decent work supports good mental health by providing:

  • a livelihood;
  • a sense of confidence, purpose and achievement;
  • an opportunity for positive relationships and inclusion in a community; and
  • a platform for structured routines, among many other benefits.

For people with mental health conditions, decent work can contribute to recovery and inclusion, improve confidence and social functioning.

Safe and healthy working environments are not only a fundamental right but are also more likely to minimize tension and conflicts at work and improve staff retention, work performance and productivity. Conversely, a lack of effective structures and support at work, especially for those living with mental health conditions, can affect a person’s ability to enjoy their work and do their job well; it can undermine people’s attendance at work and even stop people getting a job in the first place.

Risks to mental health at work

At work, risks to mental health, also called psychosocial risks, may be related to job content or work schedule, specific characteristics of the workplace or opportunities for career development among other things.

Risks to mental health at work can include:

  • under-use of skills or being under-skilled for work;
  • excessive workloads or work pace, understaffing;
  • long, unsocial or inflexible hours;
  • lack of control over job design or workload;
  • unsafe or poor physical working conditions;
  • organizational culture that enables negative behaviours;
  • limited support from colleagues or authoritarian supervision;
  • violence, harassment or bullying;
  • discrimination and exclusion;
  • unclear job role;
  • under- or over-promotion;
  • job insecurity, inadequate pay, or poor investment in career development; and
  • conflicting home/work demands.

More than half the global workforce works in the informal economy (2), where there is no regulatory protection for health and safety. These workers often operate in unsafe working environments, work long hours, have little or no access to social or financial protections and face discrimination, all of which can undermine mental health.

Although psychosocial risks can be found in all sectors, some workers are more likely to be exposed to them than others, because of what they do or where and how they work. Health, humanitarian or emergency workers often have jobs that carry an elevated risk of exposure to adverse events, which can negatively impact mental health.

Source : World Health Organization official website, 'Mental Health at work,' online : https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work



The video below further describes this important concept. Watch and understand what it implies.




SUMMARY

There are millions of employees in this world who suffer physically as well as mentally due to the bad outcomes they face in their working environment.

Most of the organizations are highly concerned with achieving their objectives, and most of them treat human resources the way they treat other resources. When an employee leaves, the organization suddenly looks for a replacement.

But the strategy that should be used by every organization is to recognize the reasons for the employee dissatisfaction and find suitable solutions to overcome the issue and to retain valuable employees. 

When an organization creates a nice working environment for every employee, they will bring the best out of them, and it will bring success to the organization.






References

news.com.au, online : https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/treat-us-like-disposable-machines-employees-hit-back-at-terrible-bosses/news-story/e8a6a4a3a011a6dcb1ad5aa58e508cfe

The courier mail, online : https://www.couriermail.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CMWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.couriermail.com.au%2Fnews%2Fgold-coast%2Fconfidential-survey-reveal-almost-half-of-staff-not-motivated-to-work-at-council%2Fnews-story%2Fa6f04c1be21e7a528697f007911df792&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-1-NOSCORE

Investopedia, online : https://www.investopedia.com/are-workplaces-getting-more-toxic-some-employees-think-so-11703930

New York Post, online : https://nypost.com/2024/09/19/lifestyle/glossing-bosses-are-the-toxic-workplace-trend-ruining-employee-morale/

World Health Organization official website, 'Mental Health at work,' online : https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work

Comments

  1. A negative work environment can also increase conflicts and harm company success. You're absolutely right! Many companies focus on replacing employees instead of understanding why they leave. Without addressing the root causes like poor management, lack of growth opportunities, or workplace dissatisfaction, turnover continues, costing the company time, money, and valuable talent. A better approach is to conduct exit interviews, employee feedback surveys, and stay interviews to identify problems early. Investing in employee well-being, career growth, and a positive work culture can help retain top talent and reduce unnecessary turnover.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Every organization should treat their employees in a better way. If not definitely it will create potentially a bad work environment. then it will affect to the productivity and profitability of the organization eventually.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your point of view makes HR pros think about more than just how much work gets done. They should also think about how the workplace affects the emotional and mental health of their teams.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Workplace dissatisfaction can lead to significant psychological stress for employees, contributing to anxiety, depression, and burnout. It can decrease motivation, productivity, and job satisfaction, affecting both mental and physical health. Over time, this can lead to high turnover rates and strained team dynamics. My wish is for all employees to find fulfilling work environments where they can thrive and feel valued.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed.Workplace dissatisfaction truly affects every employee in a very bad way

      Delete
  5. Great post! Workplace dissatisfaction can deeply affect employees’ well-being, productivity, and morale, highlighting the need for positive work environments.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is such an important message! Mental health at work is often overlooked. Including tips for managers to foster psychological safety could really enhance the impact.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes. Workplace bullying harms mental and physical health, leading to anxiety, depression, and decreased productivity. Early intervention is essential to prevent long-term effects.

    ReplyDelete

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