Our mental health at work before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the spotlight on mental illness. A common statistic cited before the pandemic was that 1 in 7 people at work would have had a common mental health disorder at any given time. Now, our lives and ways of working have been disrupted in significant ways. Psychiatrist, Prof. Christoffel Grobler discusses the need for added sensitivity to mental illness in the workplace going forward. There will be a great need to recognise the signs of mental distress and ensure early intervention, to enable employees to continue to function as productive members of a business. Prof. Grobler is an Associate Professor at Walter Sisulu University and Member of the South African Medical Association Committee for Human Rights, Law and Ethics.