Mental health in the workplace: exploring how mental health is being addressed in the Namibian Public Service

Kavetuna, Julieta

Mental health in the workplace: exploring how mental health is being addressed in the Namibian Public Service

Master Thesis

2022

Abstract

Introduction: Mental health in the workplace has emerged as an important issue and a number of pieces of legislation at the international and regional level provide a good framework for ensuring that people with mental disorders have equal opportunities for employment and support within the workplace. This issue has not been sufficiently addressed in Namibia. This study therefore explored how mental illness is addressed in human resources policies, processes, procedures, and mental health programmes in the Namibian Public Service workplace. Methods: This study comprised two components: a review of legal documents and a qualitative study with relevant people addressing mental illness in the workplace. Five existing Laws, Policies and Rules were reviewed. The review looked at any reference to Mental Illness or Mental Health and in instances where both were not used, identified other terms used like, severe psychiatric illness, psychological disorders, MNS disorders (mental, neurological and substance abuse). In cases where none of the terms were used to identify the two concepts or general health or illness in all documents, the review identified other terms or phrases that may have been used to identify physical or mental illness. The review further pinpointed the legal provisions in the laws which have direct reference to mental illness in the workplace. These provisions ranged from recruitment, management, and boarding of people with mental illness in the workplace. In the second component, a qualitative study design was used comprising of three semi-structured interviews and seven focus group discussions. The study had a total of thirty nine participants selected through a purposeful sampling method. Two representatives, one from each of the unions representing employees in the public service and one participant from the Medical Review Board were interviewed individually. Sixteen Government Ministries were selected and invited to participate in the study, but only nine sent a total of twelve representatives from HR Departments to participate. The Public Service Commission focus group discussion had twelve participants, while members of the Mental Health Association of Namibia representing people with mental illness (MI) and their support persons participated in two focus groups. Four participants who had experienced being medically boarded due to MI, participated in two focus group discussions. All sessions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. A Framework Data Analysis approach was used to extract themes to address the aim and objectives. Results: The findings from the document review show that the legislation framework lacked clear documentation of how to identify and manage mental illness in the workplace, resulting in inconsistencies in how mental illness is managed in the Namibian public sector. The findings of the qualitative study show that participants have limited knowledge of what mental illness is, although people seemed able to describe how to recognize someone with mental illness from the way they act. There is confusion between the concepts of disability and ill-health resulting in many people being boarded prematurely or inappropriately. Conclusion: The participants appreciated and recognized the importance of the study in all the discussions, suggesting that there is a need for platforms to be created where issues of mental illness and mental health can be discussed. The lack of a coordinating structure for mental illness in the Public Service was seen a stumbling block in addressing mental illness in an appropriate way. The recommendations to have at least one trained health worker who will be dedicated to employee wellness, will be a step in the right direction. There is an urgent need to reform some of the legal instruments to be able to create a positive impact for people with mental illness in the workplace.

Keywords

Psychiatry and Mental Health

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