Medbury Healthcare Focus on Psychosocial Wellbeing in Workplace Health

Medbury Healthcare has called for stronger integration of psychosocial wellbeing into workplace safety frameworks, urging organisations to adopt a more holistic approach that connects mental health, emotional resilience, and physical safety within corporate environments.

The call was made during a workplace wellbeing engagement held in collaboration with British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) on April 28 at the company’s Ibadan facility. The session was aligned with this year’s global theme, “Good psychosocial working environments: A pathway to thriving workers and strong organizations,” which focuses on strengthening mental health awareness and improving workplace conditions across industries.

The engagement brought together employees and senior management representatives to discuss practical approaches to addressing psychosocial risks in the workplace, including stress management, communication gaps, workplace pressure, and behavioural dynamics that affect employee wellbeing and productivity.

Growing focus on psychosocial risks in the workplace

Globally, there has been increasing attention on psychosocial risks as a critical component of occupational health and safety. These risks often stem from work-related stress, poor communication structures, unclear job expectations, and workplace harassment or burnout.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has continued to emphasize the need for organisations to create safe and supportive environments where employees are not only protected physically but are also mentally and emotionally supported.

This year’s campaign builds on that focus, encouraging employers to prioritise systems that allow early identification of stress factors, promote open communication, and reduce workplace conditions that may negatively affect mental health.

In line with this, the BATN session served as a platform for internal reflection and dialogue around how psychosocial wellbeing can be better integrated into everyday operational structures, particularly within high-performance environments such as manufacturing.

Link between mental and physical health

Speaking during the session, Dr. Uba Onyenefa, Med-Advisory Manager and ICM Operations Manager at Medbury Healthcare, highlighted the close connection between mental health and physical wellbeing in the workplace.

He noted that unmanaged stress does not remain psychological alone but often manifests physically in forms such as insomnia, persistent headaches, fatigue, and musculoskeletal conditions. According to him, these symptoms can significantly affect employee performance, safety, and long-term health outcomes if not properly addressed.

He stressed the importance of early intervention systems within organisations, noting that many workplace-related health challenges often go unreported until they escalate into more serious conditions.

Dr. Onyenefa also referenced the availability of employee support systems such as confidential assistance programmes, which provide workers with access to professional mental health services for both personal and work-related concerns.

Leadership, communication, and workplace pressure

A key theme that emerged during the discussion was the role of leadership behaviour and communication in shaping workplace wellbeing.

Waqas Khan, Manufacturing Manager, highlighted the importance of realistic planning and transparent communication within operational environments. He noted that setting achievable targets and ensuring clarity in expectations can significantly reduce unnecessary workplace pressure.

He explained that in high-demand production environments, stress is often intensified by unclear timelines or misaligned expectations between management and employees, making communication a critical factor in reducing tension and improving productivity.

Similarly, Dele Alabi, Head of Supply Chain, emphasised the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. He pointed out that qualities such as self-awareness, empathy, and self-regulation are essential in managing operational pressure without transferring stress negatively to team members.

According to him, leadership approaches that prioritise respect and open dialogue help create environments where employees feel comfortable raising concerns without fear of retaliation or judgment.

Psychological safety and role clarity

The discussion also addressed the importance of psychological safety in the workplace, particularly in relation to clarity of roles, expectations, and performance management systems.

Monisola Adebayo, Area Head of Talent & Engagement, Sub-Saharan Africa, noted that uncertainty around job roles and responsibilities often contributes to increased workplace stress. She emphasised that when employees clearly understand their responsibilities and performance expectations, it reduces ambiguity and improves overall confidence in execution.

She further highlighted that psychological safety is not solely the responsibility of management but requires active participation from employees as well. This includes engaging with feedback systems, participating in performance discussions, and utilising available support structures where necessary.

Workplace stress and organisational performance

Across the session, participants consistently linked psychosocial wellbeing to broader organisational outcomes, including productivity, safety, and operational efficiency.

Experts noted that when workplace stress is not properly managed, it can lead to reduced concentration, higher error rates, increased absenteeism, and lower overall employee engagement. In contrast, supportive environments that prioritise mental health tend to demonstrate stronger collaboration, improved morale, and better long-term performance outcomes.

The manufacturing sector, in particular, was highlighted as an environment where pressure can be significant due to production targets, equipment reliability issues, and time-sensitive operational demands. In such contexts, structured support systems and proactive communication become even more critical.

Corporate wellbeing frameworks and support systems

The session also underscored the importance of institutional support mechanisms such as Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), which provide confidential access to counselling and mental health services.

These systems are designed to help employees manage both personal and work-related challenges before they escalate into more serious health concerns or impact workplace performance.

Participants noted that while such systems exist in many organisations, awareness and utilisation often remain low, making continuous sensitisation an important part of workplace wellbeing strategies.

Towards integrated workplace wellbeing approaches

A recurring message from the engagement was the need to move away from fragmented approaches to workplace health and adopt more integrated frameworks that combine physical safety with mental and emotional wellbeing.

Rather than treating psychosocial wellbeing as a separate initiative, stakeholders emphasised that it should be embedded into organisational culture, leadership practices, and operational systems.

This includes improving communication structures, strengthening leadership capacity in emotional intelligence, and ensuring that employees at all levels feel supported in managing workplace pressures.

The collaboration between Medbury Healthcare and British American Tobacco Nigeria reflects a growing recognition of psychosocial wellbeing as a critical component of occupational health and organisational performance.

While awareness around mental health in the workplace continues to grow, stakeholders note that sustained impact will depend on how effectively organisations translate awareness into practical systems, policies, and day-to-day practices.

The session concluded with a shared emphasis on open communication as a key driver of workplace safety and wellbeing, reinforcing the idea that addressing psychosocial risks requires continuous dialogue, structured support systems, and leadership commitment.

As organisations across sectors continue to adapt to changing workplace dynamics, psychosocial wellbeing is increasingly being positioned not as an optional initiative, but as a core pillar of sustainable workplace health and performance.

Further Reading: World Safety Day — The Truth About ESG and Mental Health