By: Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 16th April 2026)u2014The importance of protecting workersu2019 mental health in the workplace has been placed in the spotlight as safety officials have emphasized the need for supportive work environments that safeguard not only physical safety but also the psychological well-being of employees.
Speaking on u2018Power Talku2019 by the St. Kitts Electricity Company Ltd (SKELEC)u2014aired live on ZIZ on Wednesday 15th April 2026 on the topic u2018Safe Minds, Strong Mindsu2019u2014the Health, Safety, Security and Environment Manager at SKELEC Clarissa Langley-Stephens outlined the companyu2019s efforts to strengthen workplace safety and mental health awareness.
She appeared on the programme alongside Head of Occupational Safety, Health and Environment within the Ministry of Employment and Labour Junique Eddy.
Langley-Stephens highlighted that the company took a step four years ago so as to address safety culture.
u201cSo we are trying to change a culture. Four years ago, the company made a decision to onboard a safety department, a department specifically zeroing in on matters and issues and policies and processes and procedures that heighten the alertness of staff members when it comes to safety.u201d
During the discussion, Eddy explained that understanding the psychosocial work culture of a workplace is essential to maintaining a healthy and productive workforce.
u201cPsychosocial work culture can be broken down by simply saying the mental state of our workforceu2014how stable we are as a people not just physically but emotionally, mentally and psychologically.u201d
He added that this stability plays a crucial role in national productivity. u201cOf course this will be massively important to any country as this directly impacts on the type of productivity you get from healthy workers, workers who operate on sound mind, stable workforce, one that is not affected too much by outside of work issues.u201d
Eddy, however, acknowledged that workplaces must recognize the realities employees face in their daily lives.
u201cBut that isnu2019t somewhat a perfect world, and we have to understand that in any undertaking, there must be balance, and that is what we seek to do from a national level by ensuring that enough awareness and programs are there to support the mental state of our workforce and our people.u201d
According to Eddy, the Ministry continues to monitor the labour landscape. u201cOur ministry continues to police the world of work closely analyzing trends and patterns as we develop.u201d
Bringing the discussion closer to the operations at SKELEC, Langley-Stephens said that mental wellness forms a central pillar of the companyu2019s safety initiatives.
u201cAnd Iu2019m smiling because when Mr. Eddy spoke, he spoke about the importance of mental stability, and thatu2019s one of the pillars that our 2026 [safety] week of activities would have been hinged on, where weu2019re looking at engaging all employees and to some extent customers in recognizing the true value of having a sound mind, especially when you are at work.u201d
She emphasized that the nature of the work carried out by the electricity company requires workers to remain mentally alert at all times.
u201cAnd I mean, if we have to be honest, SKELEC is a high-risk environment, and so we want our workers to be mentally aligned, and we want to know if they are experiencing any challenges.u201d
Langley-Stephens also credited employee Devon Hendrickson for contributing the selected theme dubbed u2018Fostering a Supportive Psychosocial Work Culture for Every SKELEC Workeru2019 for the upcoming 2026 Safety Week slated for Sunday 26th April to Friday 1st May.
She said the theme reflects the companyu2019s intention to ensure all employeesu2014whether working in administrative roles or technical operationsu2014receive the support necessary to maintain their well-being.
u201cFrom what Mr. Eddy says, weu2019ve now brought it down to the SKELEC level, understanding the needs of our workers, whether they work administratively or on the technical side, to be able to ensure that all of the parties are able to identify and provide any support that our teams would need.u201d
Langley-Stephens added that psychosocial awareness helps prevent several mental health challenges that can arise in the workplace.
u201cJust to be able to prevent mental strain, mental burnout, mental fatigue, mental illness and the host of other things because that is what psychosocial covers, the welfare of the mind.u201d
For his part, Eddy highlighted several factors that commonly contribute to workplace stress and psychological strain among employees. He explained that workers can face a range of pressures including lack of variety in their work, being under-skilled for certain tasks, heavy workloads and tight deadlines. Other issues include understaffing, long or unsocial working hours, limited participation in workplace decisions and poor physical working conditions such as excessive noise or poor ergonomics.
According to Eddy, organizations must take proactive steps to address these issues. He said employers can create healthier work environments by implementing participatory job design, task rotations, flexible work arrangements and realistic deadlines. Adequate staffing levels, regular breaks and open communication channels are also essential in maintaining a positive workplace culture.
Eddy also emphasized the importance of compliance with occupational safety standards. Where gaps exist in local legislation, he said the ministry looks to international guidance.
u201cFor places where there is silence in the law, we adhere to international best practices. Thatu2019s from our partner International Labour Organization [ILO].u201d
Eddy also pointed out that such standards include frameworks designed to prevent workplace violence, harassment and discrimination while encouraging opportunities for workers to improve their knowledge, attitudes and skills.