When Helpers Need Help: Examining Mental Health Among Filipino Human Resource Professionals

Abstract

Human Resource (HR) professionals deal with daily battles at work such as finding solutions to the issues between and among employees and the
organization which eventually leads to job stress to the point that they cannot face their own challenges. Issues on recruitment, labor relations, manual work, payroll, and employee engagement has been found to be the toughest pain points which makes HR professionals have a hard time in addressing it accordingly and takes a toll at their own mental health. Given these findings, this study investigated the levels of their compassion fatigue and job stress, its relationship, and other concerns related to their mental health including how their organizations either help or hinder them to attend to these matters.

The study has been participated by 92 human resource professionals from Luzon, Philippines who were employed in both private and government
sectors. Data were measured using self-made questionnaire and standardized psychological tests. Findings revealed that Filipino HR professionals has an average level for compassion fatigue and job stress. It has also been found out that compassion fatigue predicts by 54.4% job stress. In terms of mental health programs, 87% of the respondents mentioned that there were no existing mental health programs in their companies. The most pressing issues regarding their mental health are related to stress and work-life balance and major hindrances for availability of mental health programs are financial, strategic directions and lack of knowledge of the administrators.