A psychiatrist at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Robert Assuah, has called for workplace policies to effectively address harassment, bullying, and the mental health challenges faced by employees in the corporate environment.

Speaking on Joy News AM Show today, May 19, Dr Assuah emphasised the importance of such guidelines to address employee mental health.

“In every workplace, there should be proper structures in place to handle harassment—whether it’s sexual, verbal, or emotional. People need to feel protected,” he emphasised.

He added that a supportive and respectful work environment is key to improving overall well-being and productivity; hence, it should be a priority for organisations.

He also highlighted the impact of toxic leadership on employees and their performance on the job.

Dr Assuah explained, “Sometimes, certain managers create such a fear in their employees that just seeing their name on a phone makes you panic. Even if you haven’t done anything wrong, you go to their office nervous, and when you try to explain, the fear makes it impossible to communicate properly. This kind of environment has a significant impact on mental health.”

In addition to interpersonal dynamics, Dr Assuah pointed out that financial stress plays a crucial role in employees' mental health.

“It’s not always about conflict at work,” he said. “Sometimes, the salary is so low that it doesn’t make any difference at home. You’re working full-time, but when your child is sent home from school because you can’t pay the fees, it’s overwhelming. That kind of stress impacts mental health as well.”

Dr Assuah concluded by urging employers to adopt a comprehensive approach to employee wellbeing.

“It’s not just about productivity. If you take care of your employees, you’re taking care of the business. Policies, empathy, and fair salaries—all of these play a role in ensuring positive mental health at work.”