Poor mental health is driving people out of jobs - how can businesses protect their people and profits?

Productivity, deadlines, and results - the most valued ingredients in the recipe for success.

But truly, how often do we pause to check in with ourselves?

According to the data, not enough. Mental health awareness has become increasingly vital in conversations about employee wellness. With the technology and experts driving the conversation, professionals are often at risk of reaching a stage of burnout. The World Health Organisation says burnout is now recognised as an official disease/occupational hazard.

In a country with record-breaking mental health concerns, South African employers can do so much to help staff and their profits. Employers can hold up their end of the bargain and prevent the almost inevitable mental health crisis most employees face nowadays.

Design work that doesn't break people

It starts with your processes. Clear expectations are vital for your business to remain successful. From the start to the finish of a project, managing mental health starts with fairly allocated expectations.

For example, relying on that one employee to cover their other team members is unsustainable. If half the team quits at a vital time, there should be a backup plan or process that you can immediately enact, because your resources are human beings with feelings.

Around 40% of all work-related illnesses in South Africa can be attributed to stress, resulting in billions of rands lost due to reduced productivity.

Suggestion: Measure people's performance based on their outcomes rather than the number of hours worked. Most businesses charge by the minute, so considering that nuance can enforce a results-only work environment (ROWE).

We've been there, done that. Work with the small business backed by experience, learn more about life at Accensis.

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Empathy isn't inherent, Leaders need training

Again, it's all about the tools - and these ones exercise the brain. You need to equip managers with:

• Mental health literacy
• Emotional intelligence training

Leaders can support their teams beyond deadlines.

Empathy isn't built into us - it's learned, it's actively working on yourself to understand others. We know it's one of the many qualities we look for in a leader, but are people actually empathetic in the workplace?

In one study by EEY Consulting "2023 Empathy in Business Survey", only 48% of employees are convinced their organisation's leadership is empathetic, despite an overwhelming consensus that empathy is necessary to lead effectively.

Leaders require the tools to do so. From induction to continued learning while on the job, employers need to set the tone: It takes a lot of heart to run a tight ship.

Rest Is Not a Reward—It's a Right. Let's value purpose over presenteeism

"I know I'll get a good night's sleep when I finish that project", - and has that ever happened?

Rest isn't something you earn. It's a biological necessity. There is irrefutable evidence that the more rested an individual, the more capable they are of ... basically, everything!

When we don't value rests and breaks, presenteeism rears it's ugly head. Presenteeism, the act of employees attending work with disinterest, has a proven consequence of a drop in productivity. Now, the question for organisations: do you measure employees on their output or input? Because with the latter, the results just aren't the same.

Companies that shifted from hours at their desks to results-based output saw a 20–30% increase in productivity and engagement.

Build Mental Health Into Your KPIs

Traditionally, performance is measured by output, deadlines, and revenue—but in this new work era, true success also hinges on the well-being of your team. By integrating mental health into your KPIs, you send a clear message: sustainable performance matters more than any short‑term hustle.

Examples of this:

• Tracking team engagement scores
• Monitoring workloads to prevent burnout
• or even including well-being goals in leadership evaluations.

When managers are assessed on how well they support their teams, you create a culture where mental health isn't an afterthought—it's a core business priority for:

• Retention
• Productivity
• and long‑term growth.

Normalise Mental Health Conversations in the Workplace

It's not enough to have policies hidden in your Standard Operating Procedures or staff handbook. Employees need to understand how to feel safe actually using them.

Normalising mental health conversations starts with leadership modelling openness:

• Sharing personal strategies for stress management
• Openly discussing available support services.
• Regular check‑ins
• Anonymous surveys
• Visible leadership support

All contribute to reducing stigma. When people know they can discuss challenges without risking their reputation, they're far more likely to seek help early— protecting both their well-being and the business's stability.

Businesses that value mental health alongside performance will be able to combat any trend in recruitment, whether it's high turnover or a whole new generation of employees; mental health inclusion is here to stay.

Discover forward-thinking business solutions with Accensis, Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors.

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