A man recently jumped off Atal Setu bridge and died. After the police contacted his family, his wife revealed that her husband was under serious work pressure. The deceased was a bank manager and had reportedly taken his family for a short getaway to Lonavala right before he died.
Nobody can be absolutely certain if it was just the work pressure alone that propelled the man to take such an extreme step. Maybe there were other pressing reasons too and it is also possible that work pressure was not the reason at all behind such a drastic step. However, what does it suggest when all of us read about the deplorable state of professionals pretty much on a daily basis now? Some professionals are willing to leave well-paying jobs because of toxicity, whereas some others experience a multitude of health issues due to prolonged working hours.
A lot of professionals are coming forward to share their ordeal and how a poor work-life balance took a toll on their lives. And yet, there are many among us who despite reading such news articles don't really do anything to course correct. "A lot of professionals don't have he luxury of leaving jobs even if the reasons are compelling. The job market anyway paints a sorry picture. I understand happiness is important, but so is money for basic expenses and sustenance," says Akriti, 30, a working professional.
"Every time, I hear such news, my heart goes out to such people. However, I have no hope that anything is going to change. Most businesses are just concerned about making money and for that they want their employees to work hard to meet unrealistic standards. Nobody gives a hoot about work-life balance. Let's say, even if my manager is compassionate and understands that long working hours are taking a toll on my health, but how does she explain this to people in the higher ups? Eventually, it all boils down to who can survive in this cut-throat world where targets, numbers and money is everything. It is in this quest of surviving, people lose out on quality lifestyle and in extreme situations, they succumb to work pressure," says Mohit, 35, a working professional.
Clearly, companies and managements need to be more cognisant of the needs of their professionals. At the same time, professionals must make mental notes of these 5 reminders. A) Never let workplace toxicity affect your mental equilibrium so much that you don't look for solutions and instead stand defeating before problems. B) Yes, the job market may be tough, but there's always hope. Don't continue to suffer, because you feel you won't find any other job. C) Don't take workplace problems to your heart and personally. Try to develop a thick skin and deal with challenges in a matter-of-fact way. D) Don't normalise workplace toxicity in your heads and think every workplace these days has a toxic environment. E) Don't be afraid to stand up for your rights. If you feel harassed in any which way, speak up and highlight the issues. Many times the solutions are just an initiative away.