If physical fitness encompasses the body’s ability to function optimally and without injury across a range of tasks and scenarios, psychological fitness refers to how mentally and emotionally proficient individuals are, particularly as it relates to work, says business management consultancy company OIM Consulting organisational development consultant Lani van der Merwe.
 
In an opinion piece, Van der Merwe explains that people are most likely familiar with the definition of fitness as it applies to the body.

“If considered fit, you might be able to run, swim or cycle for longer periods or at high intensity, with your body easily accommodating the exertion. You probably can do other kinds of taxing physical activities without too much hassle and recover quickly; donning your trainers to do it all over again.”
 
She says that the secret of physical fitness is to achieve and maintain fitness, practise, repetition and discipline.
 
She elaborates that similarly to physical fitness, psychological fitness carries over to other areas of individuals’ lives, determining one’s ability to cope with the various social and interpersonal situations that might arise daily.
 
She continues that as an organisational development consultant specialising in the mining sector, if she were to categorise a miner as being ‘psychologically fit’, this would mean that they have the ability as well as the energy, motivation and “general chutzpah”  to perform their job effectively.
 
However, within a mining context, mental health is seldom prioritised. This is particularly concerning given the dangerous environment, coupled with challenging working conditions, and the pressurised, target-chasing nature of the work.
 
She cites a research paper that studied the state of mental health in miners which found that the mining environment lent itself to mental health conditions, triggering issues such as anxiety, job stress, depression, sleep disorders, mental fatigue and more.

She elaborates that the research results could be categorised according to four key themes: psychological problems and personal factors; psychosocial problems and health-related factors; well-being and physical problems and organisational factors – with the first theme being the most prominent.
 
“Under this theme, the paper stated that ‘workers can develop depressive disorders, moderate-high job stress, significant levels of anxiety, sleep disorders or problems related’,” says Van der Merwe.

She adds that the literature also cited high job demand/low control and security, high effort/low reward, higher work-family interference, violence at work and low social support as psychosocial problems and health-related factors, while quantitative overloads were found to deteriorate the psychological well-being of workers, resulting in mood disorders, substance abuse and health problems.
 
“The reality is that psychological unfitness is all too prevalent in the mining sector.”
 
She says that significant focus is dedicated to the physical aspects of the role – ensuring that workers are physically able to perform their jobs –  as well as emphasis on sharing skillsets and toolsets that promote safety. However, little attention is given to workers’ states of mind.
 
Enhancing Psychological Fitness

When engaged by a mining organisation to conduct front-line leadership development, OIM Consulting conducts two initial assessments that measure individual risk propensity and general psychological fitness. These surveys often reveal a high level of burnout that permeates the workforce, she explains.

“People are stressed and irritable; they certainly don’t want the extra workload that embarking on our programme entails. They believe that it will take energy away from what they are currently doing – and energy is something already in short supply.”

However, she notes that there is a danger attached to this. Psychological unfitness can lead to mistakes that can cause injury or even loss of life.

Further, it can also lead to absenteeism, presenteeism or ‘quiet quitting’ – a trending new catchphrase that refers to an employee doing the bare minimum ¬– which can have a detrimental impact on the output of an organisation.

“Someone who ‘quietly quits’ is not refusing to do their job – which would lead to the appropriate disciplinary action being taken – but rather refuting any expectation to go above and beyond in the call of duty.”

To address these, OIM Consulting’s programme focuses on giving front-line leaders and miners tools that will help them actively tackle stress and gain more meaning from their work.

The company demonstrates the difference between eustress and distress – the former typically being short-lived, motivating and galvanizing individuals into action, while distress is overwhelming, continues for a long time and decreases performance.

OIM Consulting also highlights the importance of proactive recovery and the role that lifestyle plays. The company then works with trainees to design a plan that will allow them to structure their day in such a way that they can deliver on their work commitments while allocating time for recovery and recharging their mental batteries.

She explains that similarly to someone who is physically unfit – which means that they’ll take time and effort to recover after physical strain – psychological unfitness limits the ability to perform well, day in and day out.

Therefore, these skills need to be applied every day to achieve fitness and should also encompass a holistic approach, that includes exercising, eating well and not abusing substances as the physical and mental are always interlinked, says Van der Merwe.

“Ultimately, we aim to demonstrate that achieving – and sustaining – psychological fitness is a marathon, not a sprint, and only constant effort will ensure success,” she concludes.