Sir, – I was fortunate to attend a workshop on supporting wellbeing and mental health at work in Loughlinstown Training Centre last week.
During our conversations and reflections on the topics under discussion, attendees from various organisations correctly pointed to the surging cost of living in Ireland being a significant factor in poor wellbeing.
The fact of the matter for the majority of people is that their salaries have not even come close to matching inflation over the past decade.
This ongoing deterioration in real terms in people’s purchasing power is most definitely not a positive for wellbeing or mental health at work.
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Unless people’s physiological needs are being met in the first instance by employers (including the State) – such as a roof over their head and food in their bellies – it is impossible for them to aspire towards self-actualisation and/or self-esteem.
Our politicians should not patronise the public – and tell them it will be okay, when workers are increasingly anxious about meeting the mortgage, rent payments or, worse still, have no place to call home.
If Simon Harris, Micheál Martin and Jack Chambers genuinely care about the wellbeing of the citizens of their country at work, they need to find a solution to curb inflation.
Or alternatively ensure that people’s salaries and wages match inflation. I won’t take a big breath. – Yours, etc,
RAY SILKE,
Business Department,
Coláiste Iognáid SJ,
Galway.
