Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Mental health is still an issue in the workplace

medium.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

261–270 of 352 posts

Re: Mental health is still an issue in the workplace

#261

Post by Broken_Hippo »

makecheck wrote: post #207

One of the big problems with mental health is that it’s aggravated by bruising that you can’t see. If someone came up to you and gave you a paper cut every day for the next 3 years, you’d show some major scars and there would certainly be enough evidence to gain some sympathy. All the interactions you have in your day can also have a cumulative effect on the mind. We can have laws or corporate rules or whatever but a…

"If someone came up to you and gave you a paper cut every day for the next 3 years, you’d show some major scars and there would certainly be enough evidence to gain some sympathy."

Actually, I think folks would talk behind your back and wonder why you put up with the abuse - but they'll generally stay out of it. If you are lucky, they'll call the cops for a checkup.

If you give yourself paper cuts, folks will still talk about you. A few will offer an ear if you need to talk. And some folks will decide to shower you with complements so you stop ruining your body with scars.

Unfortunately, mental health is more horrid than that. It is like watching everyone get a papercut and go on with life, while it cripples you for a day.

Re: Mental health is still an issue in the workplace

#263

Post by lmm »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #242
lovich wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Id certainly believe that it's possible to do so. However, in the same way that anyone could be president, not everyone can be. Lots of colleges don't even have enough jobs in the area to support every student working, and the number of hours you'd have to work can prevent anyone with a difficulty major from doing so Edit:I did say _anyone_ in the past 20 years so that is some unfortunate hyperbole on my part

> Lots of colleges don't even have enough jobs in the area to support every student working This doesn't make a lot of conceptual sense. If 100,000 people move into a town of formerly-3000, they will severely outnumber the open job slots from before they moved in, but that doesn't mean no work is available for any of them. Most of them will find work just as most people everywhere find work. Work is available to anyo…

The bar for "something productive" keeps rising though.

Re: Mental health is still an issue in the workplace

#264

Post by pertymcpert »

markdown wrote: post #190
malnourish wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are sick days still a thing? At my job we get PTO and holidays (floating depending on the year), but no specific sick days. Apologies for any naivete.

> Are sick days still a thing? Why wouldn't they be? I assume they're mandatory in most countries.

Well here in the UK you don't have a limit on the number of sick days. You get sick you go off work. It's separate from normal PTO allocation.

Re: Mental health is still an issue in the workplace

#265

Post by rocqua »

omegaworks wrote: post #99
phil21 wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're generally correct for the folks who have decent salaried careers. If I got asked to justify a regular random day or two I took off as PTO I'd tell HR to pound sand as anyone rightfully should. Get into hourly low wage stuff and you are treated like children, many shops require a doctor's note for any and all absences with 1 or 2 dermits until you're fired. This has reasons from both ends of course. When I was…

>by the low-wage masses abusing it (and abuse it they did). This feeds directly into the popular narrative that the working poor somehow lack moral fortitude. Do you have evidence to justify this claim?

I'd say its the other way around.

It only takes a few people abusing this before it becomes a problem. At the same time, those who lack moral fortitude are more likely to have low-wage jobs because those are the only ones they can hold down.

So, the shitty people end up over-represented at the low-end of the job market, so those jobs need to consider them more.

Re: Mental health is still an issue in the workplace

#267

Post by rocqua »

nnq wrote: post #251
omegaworks wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>by the low-wage masses abusing it (and abuse it they did). This feeds directly into the popular narrative that the working poor somehow lack moral fortitude. Do you have evidence to justify this claim?

> the working poor somehow lack moral fortitude NOPE. More like they feel abused by society, so they rightfully abuse it back by taking as much as they can and giving as little as possible. Of course, the result is a vicious cycle they can't get out of: if you play the lazy parasite once, you do get some kind of "abuse" back (even if it's just passive-aggressive attitude from colleagues) even if you mostly get away w…

I'd say there is a simpler thing that also contributes.

The poor have much less leeway in their lives. Sometimes, they need to choose between 'abusing the system' or e.g. dealing with a family emergency. Say your car broke down and you need to get it fixed. Do you call in sick and get it done or do you bus it until you get some free time when the mechanics are working?

Re: Mental health is still an issue in the workplace

#268

Post by gtirloni »

asdfologist wrote: post #230
komali2 wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Culture can matter a great deal as well. In my experience working in Japan and Taiwan, everyone is considered an immature child that must be babysat minute by minute. My go-to story: Friend in Japan's train route was significantly delayed by a suicide. Rather than sit in the train station for ~2 hours waiting for cleanup, he leaves, gets on his motorcycle, and rides to work. Shows up 30 minutes late, but his pay is d…

If the work culture is infuriating, why do you love working there?

I have friends and family working in Japan and requiring a stamped slip for metro delay (not sure if it's still stamped or just printed) is just a cultural thing everywhere, or so I'm told.

That kind of tradition means a lot more to Japan society than it does for some Western countries, I suppose. You can search for articles on "Japanese corporate bureaucracy" for different perspectives.

Re: Mental health is still an issue in the workplace

#269

Post by Scarblac »

markdown wrote: post #190
malnourish wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are sick days still a thing? At my job we get PTO and holidays (floating depending on the year), but no specific sick days. Apologies for any naivete.

> Are sick days still a thing? Why wouldn't they be? I assume they're mandatory in most countries.

In most (western, don't know otherwise) countries, you stay home when you're sick, and get paid because it's outside of your control. No matter if that is day 1 this year or day 20.

Re: Mental health is still an issue in the workplace

#270

Post by sgt »

"1 in 6 americans are medicated for mental health." - that is very high. What's causing Americans to have so many mental health issues? I don't have the stats, but I cannot easily believe that this would the case in let's say Europe.
Post reply on HN