Introduction
Working in public service is esteemed globally because it offers an opportunity to impact society positively. Jobs in this sector include social work and critical care, nursing, and police service. Another reason public service is popular worldwide is its job stability compared to the private sector. While this employment sector remains prevalent, public servants often have to trade their mental health and wellness for a positive impact on society. Unlike private companies with a proper definition of target customers and a clear scope of work, public servants have to go overboard.
Serving the public means managing a wide range of civilian personalities. It is more challenging since civilians have an entitlement to the services. High workload, limited resources, ambiguity, and politics compromise efficiency and effectiveness in the public service sector. The complex nature of public service necessitates collaboration between public servants and organizational management to create a healthy working environment. This study evaluates risk factors and the consequences of mental health challenges in the public service sector and explores coping mechanisms for public servants.
Predictors of Mental Health
Public servants’ perceptions of their roles contribute to workplace stress. Megayana (2021) points out that employees who consider their workplace as a platform to make a big difference in society tend to experience low levels of burnout. On the contrary, public servants who are uncertain about their position in the public sector have higher fatigue levels.
The author assumes optimum working conditions for employees in all public service sectors, which is not always the case (Megayana, 2021). According to Megayana (2021), if an employee is committed to the actual service, there is little expectation of rewards or relaxation at work, resulting in lower stress levels. However, employee expectations are among the many causes of stress among public servants.
Rapid changes in employees’ responsibilities in public service increase the risk of stress. Rasool et al. (2021) discuss how sudden changes in workplace duties often increase job demands. The study demonstrates that cognitive effort and emotional levels are required to adjust to new job responsibilities. Moreover, jobs are characterized by different environments that tax an employee’s emotional effort, especially in the face of sudden changes (Rasool et al., 2021). Work environment change, for instance, re-deployment of staff from in-person interactions with civilians to a virtual setup or vice versa, can easily lead to burnout.
Additionally, the nature of the public service sector often necessitates emotional investment in designated projects (Rasool et al., 2021). A combination of commitment to specific projects and interrelationships with affected civilians is a considerable investment for public servants. A rapid change in job responsibilities, station, or work environment easily destabilizes their psychology, leading to stress. Although a public servant might be well-versed and skilled across different service departments, making quick adjustments strains their mind. In such cases, the effect on mental health can be minimal and ignored, but it often piles up and becomes a significant health issue.
Key Stressors in Public Service
High Workload
The amount of work to complete is often disproportionate to the available time. Additionally, tight deadlines in public service require a significant quantity of work within short periods. According to Gray et al. (2019), public service is guided by constitutional policies issued by the different arms of government.
Politics heavily influences government organizations, leading to sudden changes to match the prevailing political environment. In addition, the number of public service workers is relatively low in comparison to the number of civilians expecting service within specific time limits. In such circumstances, public servants face pressure to deliver high workloads within tight schedules. A high workload strains the body, which, in turn, strains the mind, leading to mental health complications.
Role Ambiguity
Public sector organizations need more accurate guidelines on role management. A lack of clarity about expected behaviors and individual employees’ roles leads to ambiguity and confusion. Franken and Plimmer (2019) demonstrate how conflicting signals at the policy-making level can create ambiguity in the workplace. Insufficient guidelines can also affect public servants at the management level due to confusion at the supervision level, which will trickle down to low-level employees.
According to Franken and Plimmer (2019), there is a tendency to assign obligations in public service without transferring the necessary authority. Public servants experience tension among the staff and eventually frustration due to the gap between management and responsibility. The disconnect is likely to result in the stagnation of multiple tasks since subsequent processes are unclear. Service delivery delays directly frustrate civilians who express their disappointment with public servants. Regular delays and frustration in public service processes eventually undermine public servants’ motivation, ultimately leading to stress.
Interpersonal Relationships
Public service primarily involves contact with people for social support. Susilo et al. (2022) note that regular contact with civilians significantly impacts society. However, dealing with challenges that civilians face daily gradually affects the mental health of public servants.
Public servants in social work, nursing, medicine, psychology, and other community-related fields are at risk of compassion fatigue. Occupations that involve caring for specific circumstances take a toll on caregivers. Exposure to a broad range of personal problems in society over a long period of time strains public servants’ minds.
In addition, some civilians approach public servants with a negative attitude, yet government employees are required to maintain decorum and deliver to the required standards. Public spaces are characterized by diverse personal values, religious views, and social styles, among other individual differences (Susilo et al., 2022). Therefore, public servants must sacrifice their personal preferences and accept civilians’ ideas.
After an extended period of dealing with psychological issues, public servants tend to experience emotional exhaustion and fatigue. Interpersonal relationships are healthy, but only within a specific limit in which personal boundaries and preferences are protected. Public servants cross the psychological line; combining this with physical fatigue leads to a significant mental health breakdown.
Consequences of Stress and Mental Health on Public Servants
More Conflict, Less Collaboration
Tension and frustration in the workplace affect effective communication among employees. According to Gray et al. (2019), when one member of staff is stressed, the whole team is affected. While individuals handle stress differently, the psychological effect is often noticeable and infectious in some circumstances.
The public service sector is often efficient when employees work collaboratively (Gray et al., 2019). The availability of human resources, scope of work, and nature of deadlines necessitate teamwork for efficiency. Therefore, if a team member is demotivated and struggling with emotional fatigue, the impact is likely to spread and reflect on the whole team.
Additionally, the incapability of a public servant to deliver is easily noticeable. Given that the sector requires interaction with civilians, the public will notice an employee’s frustration. Franken and Plimmer (2019) state that a small percentage of the US workforce is in public service, which explains the perceived benefits and privileges.
Based on the study, most people are naive about struggles in the public service sector. As a result, public servants receive minimal social support and can easily be misjudged. Instances of conflict are likely to occur before the affected public servant is accurately diagnosed with a mental condition. At this point, the damage may have spread beyond office efficiency.
Poor Job Performance and Low Productivity
Stress in the public service sector can develop into significant mental health concerns. Megayana (2021)describes how workplace stress often leads to high rates of anxiety and later depression. When an employee experiences such psychological imbalances, work performance becomes a challenge.
Megayana (2021) notes that public servants face greater challenges due to inevitable social interactions, which further drain them. Megayana (2021) adds that a depressed employee requires extra effort and support to maintain operation and production standards. Therefore, a frustrated public servant will be unable to meet individual targets at work, as their mind is unsettled.
Stress is also heightened by constant worry about meeting performance standards. Managing emotions and pressure to maintain productivity is overwhelming and disastrous for the workplace. Franken and Plimmer (2019) note that 56% of public servants cite anxiety as a significant cause of poor work performance. Productivity loss among a team member in public service will affect the team and the department as a whole, leading to a lag in service delivery.
Employee Burnout
Persistent stress for a public servant eventually leads to burnout. Rasool et al. (2021) describe absenteeism as a common consequence of workplace stress among public-sector employees. When the demanding work environment puts more pressure on a frustrated employee, they can easily skip work.
Unfortunately, public servants discover they are dealing with a mental health issue when it is in advanced stages (Rasool et al., 2021). Such withdrawal behavior at the workplace is often an indicator of stress and a possible mental health condition that needs immediate attention. In some cases, employees choose to quit employment in the public sector, or some lose their jobs after exhibiting extreme withdrawal signs. Stress and mental health conditions in the public service sector affect not only one’s job but also the quality of life and overall service delivery to the public.
Coping Mechanisms and Interventions for a Public Servant
Developing a Psychologically Friendly Environment
The workplace environment largely contributes to anxiety that develops into stress and depression. Gray et al. (2019) discuss organizational policies, excessive workloads, and deadlines as causes of stress among public servants. Focusing on preventive measures can offer reliable and lasting solutions to the mental health challenge among public servants. The nature of public service itself is a source of emotional baggage and fatigue for workers. Therefore, addressing the problem at its source increases the likelihood of effective interventions.
Additionally, respective managers of public service organizations should develop a family culture. Gray et al. (2019) demonstrate that peer social support significantly improves mental health outcomes. After creating awareness of mental health conditions among colleagues, organizations should create a safe workplace where employees can freely express themselves. While individuals with mental health situations should be handled by professionals, empathy from colleagues and leaders at the workplace can have a significant impact. A public servant in leadership can show the way by expressing emotions openly, encouraging employees to do the same without fear of punishment or misunderstanding.
Establishing a Mental Health Program
Mental health conditions are delicate, hence the need for individuals with extreme conditions to deal with professionals. Gray et al. (2019) point out that severe cases of depression can lead to loss of life. Public servants tend to suffer in silence and may only realize it when they have given up the fight. A mental health program can train employees on managing stress levels that may be unavoidable in the public service sector.
A mental health program run by professionals in the field can help in identifying cases of anxiety and stress in the early stages. Gray et al. (2019) note that regular examination sessions with a mental health professional reduce the chances of depression and death. Public service organizations should establish comprehensive programs to raise awareness and provide consistent support to affected individuals. According to Gray et al. (2021), mental health conditions involve a long and challenging journey to recovery. Therefore, establishing a permanent mental health program for regular examination of public servants and personalized treatment plans will help to manage and reduce the menace.
Enhancing Existing Programs
Public service organizations have numerous wellness initiatives that can be built upon. Physical activity, for instance, is a common topic of discussion in public organizations. The structures in place can be utilized to introduce another segment of employee wellness.
Franken and Plimmer (2019) state that most public service organizations have a counseling department or officer. A public servant at the management level should lead their respective organizations by raising awareness of existing resources and reviving dormant yet critical sections. Susilo et al. (2022) show that regular breaks in nature can help reduce work-related stress. Therefore, scheduling time for nature walks among colleagues or introducing meditation sessions can restore mental health in the public service sector.
Leveraging available resources is an effective technique that can yield quick and positive results. Franken and Plimmer (2019) argue that public service facilities are defined by protocols and bureaucracies that slow decision-making. Therefore, identifying a structure or system that is already in place will avoid most hurdles and thus provide a quick intervention. While developing a new culture and organization is crucial, leveraging existing resources is a good starting point.
Conclusion
Managing mental health as a public servant largely hinges on recognizing that it is a collaborative effort. Some conditions predispose public servants to work-related stress that builds over time to become depression. Different ways that employees perceive public service as a job and the nature of the workplace expose the workers to high mental health risks.
Additionally, public organizations are structured by policies and cultures that further destabilize public servants’ emotions and psychology. As a result, the employees end up in conflicts and performance issues at the workplace. While public service remains a popular employment opportunity, managers and stakeholders of organizations should consider developing mechanisms and a culture to support mental health.
References
Franken, E., & Plimmer, G. (2019). Mediocre and harmful public sector leadership. International Journal of Public Leadership, 15(4), 274-286.
Gray, P., Senabe, S., Naicker, N., Kgalamono, S., Yassi, A., & Spiegel, J. M. (2019). Workplace-based organizational interventions promoting mental health and happiness among healthcare workers: A realist review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(22), 4396.
Megayana, P. S. A. (2021). The effect of job stress on public service motivation and job performance on employees at Bintang Semarapura Hospital General Hospital. Enrichment: Journal of Management, 12(1), 185-189.
Rasool, S. F., Wang, M., Tang, M., Saeed, A., & Iqbal, J. (2021). How toxic workplace environment effects the employee engagement: The mediating role of organizational support and employee wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 2294.
Susilo, S., Satriadi, S., & Pratiwi, S. (2022). Analysis of employee stress management in improving public service performance (Study of UPT Pelayanan Pajak Daerah Tanjungpinang). International Journal of Social Science, Education, Communication and Economics (SINOMICS JOURNAL), 1(4), 505-514.