Building Safer Workplaces

As an increasing number of workplaces are understanding the importance of mental health, we ask three leaders what it will take to move the needle to create environments where we can speak up, challenge the status quo, and have our needs met.

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Have you ever told your boss that you're feeling overwhelmed and on the verge of burnout? Or asked your team leader for some flexibility to work remotely, because your daughter sprained her ankle? How about your bout with depression in your early 30s - did you reveal it to your company? If you just baulked at the thought of having such a conversation with your boss, you might be in a psychologically unsafe workplace, meaning that you could potentially be penalised or reprimanded for asking for the bare minimum to regulate your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Yet, mental health concerns are alarmingly prevalent. One in seven people in Singapore experience a mental disorder, and work-related stress is a major contributor. The numbers are worrying, says Mollie Jean De Dieu, founder of Emotional Inclusion, a platform that advocates for better mental health support at companies.

She adds: "[Based on a study conducted by DukeNUS Medical School and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH)] 32 per cent of the population are seeking help with mental health conditions, and one out of four are experiencing tiredness, trouble sleeping and stress because of work, according to a study by medical journal Jama Network Open."

The need for prioritising mental and emotional wellness in the workplace is urgent, not only for the sake of individual well-being, but also for economic performance. A mentally and emotionally healthy workforce translates to increased productivity, effectiveness, and overall happiness.

While 80 per cent of companies in the US do offer mental health benefits, only 47 per cent of employers in Singapore do so. According to the Her World What Women Want survey, three in 10 respondents claimed that the companies they worked at had no mental health benefits.