By Faseegah Davids, sociologist and mental health advocate.
Mental health has long been framed as an individual concern, something to be managed privately and often quietly. Yet within the modern workplace, this framing becomes insufficient. Work is not separate from the social and emotional realities of those who participate in it. It is a structured environment shaped by power, economic pressure, and cultural expectation. To speak about performance without acknowledging mental health is to overlook a fundamental dimension of how people function within these systems.
In South Africa, this dynamic is particularly complex. The labour market is defined by high unemployment and deep inequality, where access to stable work is both limited and essential. Employment is not only a pathway for growth but a means of survival. Within this context, the expectation to remain employed often outweighs the ability to prioritise personal wellbeing. Mental health, while increasingly discussed, remains secondary to economic necessity.
From a sociological perspective, this reflects a broader pattern in which individuals are required to adapt to systems that may not be designed with their wellbeing in mind. The workplace becomes a site where structural pressures are internalised. Workers learn to endure long hours, high demands, and limited support, often interpreting these conditions as normal rather than systemic.
Over time, this normalisation shapes behaviour, creating a culture where silence is both expected and reinforced.The South African Depression and Anxiety Group highlights that many employees feel unable to speak openly about their mental health due to fears of job insecurity and stigma. This contributes to what can be understood as a culture of silence, where distress is experienced collectively but expressed individually, if at all. In such an environment, the absence of visible struggle does not indicate wellbeing, but rather the presence of constraint.
This is where the concept of agency becomes important. While individuals are often encouraged to take responsibility for their mental health, their capacity to do so is shaped by external conditions. Access to resources, organisational culture, and leadership practices all influence whether support is available or accessible. As a result, mental health cannot be understood solely as a personal responsibility. It is also a structural issue that requires institutional response.
Some organisations have begun to recognise this. Research by Spring Health demonstrates that providing early, evidence based mental health support can result in a 1.9 times return on investment, primarily through reduced physical health costs and improved productivity (Goethe, 2026). This suggests that mental health support is not only beneficial at an individual level but also contributes to organisational sustainability.
The relationship between work and health is well documented. Findings reported by the United Nations and the International Labour Organisation indicate that work related stress contributes to approximately 840,000 deaths globally each year, with links to cardiovascular disease and stroke. These figures highlight the extent to which prolonged exposure to stress and emotional strain can manifest physically. In this sense, the workplace is not only a social environment but also a determinant of health.
Despite this, burnout continues to be normalised across many professional settings. It is often framed as an inevitable outcome of ambition or commitment. From a sociological standpoint, this reflects the internalisation of productivity driven values, where individuals measure their worth through output and endurance. The result is a cycle in which overwork is both expected and self reinforced.
In South Africa, this cycle is intensified by economic precarity. High unemployment rates create an environment where workers may feel compelled to accept conditions that are detrimental to their wellbeing. This dynamic contributes to the phenomenon of presenteeism, where employees are physically present but experience reduced cognitive and emotional engagement. The International Labour Organisation identifies presenteeism as a significant workplace concern, noting that mental health risks should be addressed with the same level of seriousness as physical safety risks. This framing positions mental health within the broader context of occupational safety, rather than as an optional or secondary consideration.
One of the challenges in addressing presenteeism is its relative invisibility. Work continues to be completed, and organisational functions remain intact. However, this surface level functionality can mask deeper issues, including reduced motivation, diminished creativity, and a weakened sense of connection to work.
Addressing these challenges requires a shift in how leadership is understood. Rather than focusing solely on outcomes, leadership must also engage with the conditions that shape those outcomes. This includes recognising the role of organisational culture, communication, and access to support in influencing employee wellbeing.
Creating supportive environments may involve practical interventions, such as providing access to confidential mental health services or establishing spaces for rest and reflection. It also requires cultural change, where conversations about mental health are normalised and stigma is actively addressed. Importantly, these efforts must be consistent and embedded within organisational practice rather than implemented as isolated initiatives.
At a broader level, this discussion reflects a need to reconsider how work is structured and valued. If sustainability is to be prioritised, then the wellbeing of individuals must be seen as integral to organisational success. This challenges traditional models that prioritise productivity at the expense of health and instead encourages a more balanced approach.
The question, then, is not whether mental health should be addressed within the workplace, but how this can we collectively transform both individual experience and structural reality for the working class.
The evidence is clear. The cost of neglect is visible in declining health outcomes, disengagement, and reduced organisational effectiveness. Addressing mental health is therefore not an additional consideration, but a compulsory element of a functioning system.
A healthy workforce promotes a sustainable culture.
As workplaces continue to evolve, those that integrate mental health into their core practices will be better positioned to respond to both human and organisational needs. In doing so, they move closer to creating environments that do not simply demand output, but actively support the people within them.
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References
- Goethe, H. (2026). 10 Mental Health Facts That Are Critical to Your 2026 Approach. Spring Health.
- Euronews and United Nations (2026). Work is killing 840,000 people a year and stress is mainly the cause.
- International Labour Organization. Occupational health and safety standards and mental health guidelines.
- South African Depression and Anxiety Group. Workplace mental health and job insecurity reports.
- Employment Equity Act and SADAG Reports on Mental Health Integration in South Africa.
Image via Constantly Healthy Counselling.
