Workplace Stress and Mental Health in Cameroon: A Practical Guide for Employers

Why mental health belongs in your safety programme

A safe workplace protects more than people’s bodies. How work is designed, organised and managed can affect concentration, wellbeing and the ability to make sound decisions. A worker facing unrealistic targets or repeated intimidation may struggle even when equipment and procedures appear adequate.

The International Labour Organization made a healthy psychosocial working environment the focus of World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026. For employers in Cameroon, this is an opportunity to examine everyday working conditions, not to diagnose employees or blame them for failing to cope.

What are psychosocial hazards at work?

Psychosocial hazards are aspects of work that can cause psychological or physical harm. Stress is not automatically a medical condition, and a supervisor should not label a worker with a diagnosis. Instead, look for working conditions that need improvement.

• Excessive workload, conflicting priorities and targets that cannot reasonably be achieved.
• Long or unpredictable hours, insufficient recovery and poorly planned shift changes.
• Bullying, harassment, discrimination, violence or a culture that discourages reporting.
• Unclear responsibilities, limited control over tasks and little support from supervisors.
• Poorly communicated organisational changes and unfair or opaque decision-making.

How to assess workplace stress risks

Start with a specific team, work area or activity. Speak with employees and their representatives about what makes the work difficult and what already helps. Include temporary workers, contractors and people on night shifts. Use languages and formats that allow workers to participate comfortably.

Review working hours, overtime, complaints, turnover, absence and near-miss information together. These indicators can prompt investigation, but none proves that an individual has a mental-health condition. Avoid collecting unnecessary medical information. Explain confidentiality arrangements and the limits of anonymity in small teams.

Record the hazard, who may be affected, existing controls, improvement actions, the responsible person and a review date. Consult workers on the proposed changes before assuming management’s view is complete.

Reduce the causes, not just the symptoms

Prioritise organisational controls. Clarify responsibilities, adjust unrealistic workloads, provide adequate staffing and equipment, and give workers a reasonable say in how tasks are completed. Plan predictable schedules and suitable recovery periods. Give supervisors time and training to support their teams.

For example, a Douala logistics team reporting repeated late finishes may need clearer dispatch cut-off times, improved handovers and realistic delivery commitments. A wellbeing poster or breathing exercise will not fix a schedule that routinely requires unsafe hours.

Create an accessible reporting route, prohibit retaliation and deal fairly with bullying or harassment concerns. Personal wellbeing activities can complement these measures, but they must not replace safer work organisation.

Support people and check whether controls work

If someone appears distressed, choose a private setting, listen without judgement and ask what workplace support may help. Do not promise absolute confidentiality or demand a diagnosis. Where appropriate, signpost to qualified health professionals and agree reasonable work adjustments through the employer’s processes.

If someone appears to be in immediate danger, activate your local emergency arrangements and obtain urgent professional help. Managers are not substitutes for clinical care.

Review whether workloads, schedules and reported concerns have improved after changes. Repeat consultation after major changes or incidents. Use findings to improve the system rather than punish people who report problems.