Younger Generation More Prone to Mental Health Issues in the Workplace, Doctor Says

Occupational Medicine Specialist at Pertamina IHC Clinic, Muchammad Arief Gunawan, has stated that the younger generation is more susceptible to experiencing mental health issues in the workplace. “The younger generation now faces more mental health problems than previous generations. The causes of stress are increasingly diverse and subjective, such as job pressure, adaptation for new employees or fresh graduates, and relationships with superiors,” he said in Central Jakarta on Tuesday. He explained that, as a standard, workplace health units typically only have general practitioners and nurses. Psychologists or psychiatrists are usually brought in through specific wellness programmes, with consultations conducted periodically, for example every three or six months. According to him, the most frequently overlooked aspect in occupational health assessments is work-related stress. Many workers complain of stress, but companies often lack objective data on its severity. Through screening, employee stress in the workplace can be categorised as mild, moderate, or severe. “Companies can then determine the proportion of workers experiencing stress. This data serves as the basis for designing more targeted mitigation programmes,” he said. To cope with excessive stress, he advised workers to seek healthy diversions, such as exercise, meditation, or other positive activities. “Diversions that are not recommended include smoking, substance abuse, and other negative behaviours,” he concluded.