Workplace Well-being as a Public Health Priority

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance/ Health

Context

• A recent report by the International Labour Organization titled “The Psychosocial Working Environment: Global Developments and Pathways for Action” states that toxic workplaces contribute to over 8.4 lakh deaths annually worldwide.

What are Psychosocial Risks at Work?

• Psychosocial risks refer to harmful conditions arising from the way work is designed, organised, and managed.
• These risks include high job demands along with imbalance between effort and reward, job insecurity, long working hours, and workplace harassment.

Key Findings of the Report

• The report highlights that nearly 45 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) are lost annually, reflecting years of healthy life lost due to illness, disability, or premature death.
• It estimates that psychosocial risks result in an annual loss of about 1.37% of global GDP.
• It notes that around 35% of workers globally work more than 48 hours per week, which significantly increases health risks.
• It finds that nearly 23% of workers have experienced workplace violence or harassment at least once, with psychological harassment being the most prevalent form affecting 18% of workers.

Framework for Workplace Well-being

• Global Initiatives: 
  • The ILO–WHO framework on workers’ health promotes integration of mental health into occupational safety policies and emphasises preventive approaches.
  • International conventions such as ILO Convention No. 155 call for national policies on occupational safety and health, including psychosocial well-being.
• Indian Initiatives:
  • The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 recognises the right to mental healthcare, which has implications for workplace well-being.
  • Constitutional Provision: The Directive Principles of State Policy emphasise the responsibility of the State to ensure humane working conditions and improve public health (Article 42).
  • National Mental Health Programme (NMHP): Implemented under the National Health Mission, the DMHP provides comprehensive mental health services, including counseling and psychosocial interventions, at the community level.
  • Labour Law Reforms: The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSH Code) mandates employers to ensure safe and humane working conditions, regulate working hours, and provide welfare facilities.

Key Challenges in India

• Informality and Weak Enforcement: A large share of India’s workforce operates in the informal sector, which limits the effective enforcement of occupational safety and psychosocial risk regulations.
• Invisible Nature of Psychosocial Risks: Psychosocial risks such as stress and harassment remain under-recognised and under-reported due to their intangible nature.
• Rise of Gig and Platform Work: The expansion of the gig economy has increased job insecurity and algorithm-driven work pressures, intensifying workplace stress.
• Implementation Deficit: There exists a significant gap between legal provisions and their actual implementation, particularly in MSMEs with limited compliance capacity.

Way Ahead

• Workplace policies should formally integrate mental health as a core component of occupational safety, with mandatory counselling and stress management systems.
• Strict adherence to reasonable working hour norms in line with global standards is necessary to reduce health risks associated with overwork.
• Organisations should adopt structured mechanisms such as mental health audits, grievance redressal systems, and anti-harassment frameworks.

Source: TH