Two in five people in Singapore have experienced some form of mental health concerns. Ensuring the right amount of support for employees provides a better work environment as well as a better lifestyle for each individual struggling with their mental health. This statistic rises to an alarming one in two people between the ages of 15 and 35, during the transition period when young adults begin to enter or are becoming established in the workplace. Regardless of age, mental health issues impact employees significantly and may include depression, anxiety, burnout and more.
A webinar hosted by Vice President of Account Management APAC at Workplace Options, Joanne Hoe, provides insight on how mental health struggles can be addressed and monitored for a better work environment in Singapore. Featured guest speakers Dr. Jared Ng, wellbeing consultant and expert, and Oliver Brecht, General Manager and Vice President of Enterprise Solutions at Workplace Options, present their perspectives on addressing the wellbeing needs of the employee.
Supporting Employee Mental Health
Dr. Jared Ng indicates that allowing employees to speak openly about their struggles with mental health without the anxiety surrounding the stigma or retribution is important to help employees feel supported in the workplace. In addition, providing training for managerial roles and leadership positions on how to recognise the signs of mental health issues and act accordingly to provide resources for said persons.
‘The earlier we intervene, the easier it is clinically. . . the more we can save in terms of productivity’, says Dr. Jared Ng. In other words, the faster employers work to bring attention to the issue at hand, the quicker it will be to address the employee’s mental wellbeing and provide the help they might need from therapists or psychologists.
‘Understanding about what strains or distress might be present with people in that area: is it long hours? Is it isolation? Is it a noisy environment? Is it stressful materials? And making sure you have programs and things built into the way the work and jobs are designed to give people a break or reprieve from that’, asserts Oliver Brecht.
Giving employees short work breaks throughout the workday allows for less stressful and more efficient work environments. Research conducted in Singapore by Milieu Insight concludes that 61 per cent of respondents preferred many small breaks rather than one longer one. Allowing employees to take breaks from work is known to provide a more effective work setting.
90 per cent of employees, reported in a 2020 study in Asia, refuse to address mental health struggles due to surrounding stigmas. Employees believe their mental health issues must be concealed rather than addressed because of the fear of negative feedback on their ongoing troubles.
Almost one-third of Singaporeans feel as though their workplace is not supportive of their mental health related issues and reported significantly lower mental health scores than their colleagues. Implementing tailored training and employee assisted programmes to specific needs of the employee will help diminish the sensitivity of mental health in the workplace.
Implementing employee wellbeing programs like the Employee Assistant Programme (EAP) to ensure mental health is prioritised in the workplace allows for better productivity, engagement, as well as a healthier work setting. The question that then pertains is, How can champion be leveraged to breakdown preexisting stigma and normalise mental health?
Breaking the Stigma in the Workplace
Dr. Jared Ng provides several points to help break the stigma surrounding mental health in the workplace, some of which include
- Encourage employee champion wellness – show visible commitment from leadership to express the importance of holistic wellbeing within the workplace
- Select the right person as a champion for wellbeing programs in the workplace – Someone who is a ‘people person’, credible, role model and practices wellbeing attributes to eliminate hypocrisy or an individual unsuited for position
- Leadership positions and managerial roles must implement an environment where employees have a safe space to have open dialogue to discuss mental health related concerns not limited to the workplace
- Allow for employees to share stories pertaining to their mental health – stories that are genuine and correlate to relevance of a mental health disorder
- Ensure confidentiality for employees when expressing personal experiences and perspectives related to mental health struggles
Looking at the ways organisations can help break the stigma surrounding mental health, Oliver Brecht categorises stigma into three levels:
- Societal
- Organisational
- Individual
Oliver Brecht states, ‘The first level is societal. What is the level of acceptance of mental health conversation and acceptance of mental health illnesses, disorders and wellbeing as part of what humans’ experience in living as well within the communities and society organisation operates. There is also the second level of stigma, which is the perception of mental health wellbeing within your organisation itself. Is the culture one that accepts people’s challenges and supports them through it? Or does culture dismiss it purely as an interruption of productivity or something that only the weak experience? And then finally you have individual stigma as well, which is what we ourselves as individuals tell ourselves about the acceptance of mental health wellbeing, distress or strong mental wellbeing’.
In a poll conducted during the webinar, Joanne Hoe concluded that, of the audience present, 98 per cent shared that in their organisation, wellbeing does matter to leadership and employees. Whilst this statistic is an accomplishment, Oliver Brecht brings attention to ensuring the organisations understand, along with their leadership positions, their role in advocating ‘for people to balance their wellbeing with their workload, to seek support when they need it and to speak positively in encouraging others to access support’.
As the holistic wellbeing of an employee is being sought out, it is necessary for organisations to consider specialised trainings and EAPs, as well as a beneficial support throughout the workplace for those struggling with mental health disorders.
For more information on Workplace Options wellbeing programmes, services and trainings for your organisation, contact us to learn more.
