Mental health in the work place IV: Education and banking sectors

This week is the fourth and concluding session on this year’s World Mental Health Day theme: Mental Health in the Workplace. Happy reading.

Case I: Banking Sector

Tunde graduated with a first-class degree in Civil Engineering but had been jobless for two years now. He heard about a bank recruitment exercise and decided to apply. He was short listed and survived the intensive three weeks training camp and was offered employment. He was ecstatic and rushed home to celebrate with his family. His retired parents were overjoyed.

He started his banking career in operations and was placed under the supervision of Mr Ojo, by the Head of Operations (HO). Mr Ojo set about putting Tunde through his paces by scaring the living daylight out of him. ‘If you don’t scrutinise the signature very well, you will go to jail.

If you make a mistake with one zero, your salary for the next one year is gone…and you may still go to jail for conspiracy to defraud the bank’. Tunde was becoming scared, but was determined not to end up in jail. Mr Ojo continued, ‘If a customer reports you to the HO, that is a yellow card for you.’ By the end of the week, Tunde felt he was going to be struggling to survive on many fronts.

He had to be in the banking hall by 7.30am and even after they closed by 4p.m, they still needed to balance and reconcile accounts…a process that usually lasts until 6 or 7pm daily. He then manages to get home by 8 or 9pm.

Sometimes he was so exhausted that he skipped dinner and just went straight to bed. He has also noticed that beneath the smiles and suits, lurked a calculating desire for survival at the expense of the next person. The HO would shout and completely humiliate anyone who made mistakes…especially when he was cross-checking the day’s transactions after close of work.

Tunde gradually became miserable, but told himself to snap out of it. He recalled reading the story of a banker who committed suicide and now felt he could understand the pressures leading to such an extreme action. He resolved to work very hard and be very careful – but he knew he could make a mistake and so he was not really safe. He was however, thankful that he was not in marketing, as his friends there had impossible targets to bring in a minimum of 30 million naira quarterly. If you fail to hit your targets for two consecutive quarters, you may be dismissed.

Case II: Academia

Bayo had a brilliant undergraduate record and narrowly missed a first class. His supervisor ensured he came back for his Masters – it helped that the supervisor was also the HOD. During his Masters’ programme, he applied and was employed as a Graduate Assistant. He completed his Masters and his supervisor encouraged him to seek admission abroad for his PhD in order to broaden his competence and give him additional exposure. At this stage, his supervisor and mentor retired and another Professor became HOD.

Bayo succeeded in gaining admission to study for his PhD at the University of Newcastle with a full scholarship. He was very happy and went to see the new HOD to discuss options for taking time off in order to pursue his studies. The HOD listened to him calmly and then exploded: ‘Do you think you are special in this department? Are you the only one? Look, you have been pampered by the former HOD, but things have changed now. Who will now be the one doing all the work while you are gallivanting around the world? Look, you are the most junior in the Department and you have to pay your dues. You will have more teaching responsibilities and serve on more committees.

“After three to five years, when you have other juniors, then you can apply for time away. So, my advice for you is to enrol for a PhD here. I can even supervise you.’ He concluded. Bayo was stunned into silence. ‘Thank you, Sir’. He mumbled, as he staggered to his feet and stepped out of the office.

Bayo went home and discussed with his wife and they decided to wait for God’s time and forfeit the admission, as instructed by his HOD. But Bayo felt very frustrated.

Conclusion: Mental health challenges exist in every work place all over the world. But we can all decide to break the cycle of a hostile work environment. Let us work with empathy, kindness and understanding – even when we don’t necessarily like each other. There is enough room for everyone to thrive and succeed. Remember: Together, Everyone Achieves More (TEAM). It pays to work collaboratively as everyone grows together, instead of trying to outdo and pull the other person down.