Bridging the gap: Why organisations should prioritise mental health

With the world marking World Mental Health Day this month, it would appear that many organisations are still lacking when it comes to tackling mental health in the workplace.

According to ADP’s People at Work 2024 report, half of the world’s employees are experiencing stress on the job, with about 15% facing high stress every day.  This, said Jessica Zhang, Senior Vice-President of APAC, ADP, highlights the need for collective efforts in building safer and healthier workplaces that prioritise mental wellbeing.

She explained, “Stress is strongly linked to poor mental health, and highly stressed employees are more likely to feel unable to perform their jobs to the best of their ability. Even employees under moderate stress express the need for more breaks. Additionally, stress can reduce employee satisfaction and increase the likelihood of employees considering changing jobs.”

Turning her attention to Singapore, Zhang identified common causes of workplace stress to include shifting job demands due to digital transformation, blurred work-life boundaries, and the pressure to maintain high productivity.

While acknowledging that employers in Singapore are placing greater emphasis on mental health, she believes there is still room for improvement.

READ MORE: Why mental health should no longer be an afterthought for organisations

“To minimise the negative impact of stress on productivity, companies can create a more supportive environment through initiatives such as stress management programmes, Employee Assistance Programmes, wellbeing days off, and training managers to have non-judgmental conversations about mental health at work. Ultimately, addressing mental health issues can enhance work performance and improve satisfaction,” concluded Zhang.