When Frasier Crane, the title character of the television sitcom Frasier, wishes his listeners "good mental health", he's not just offering a throwaway line. He's talking about a state of wellbeing in which an individual can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and be able to make a positive contribution to the community. The fictional psychiatrist is not the only one who believes the wellbeing of an employee and the success of their company go hand-in-hand. Corporations in the real world are also increasingly interested in the health of their workers, and in putting mental health principles to work.
Tang Hui Kheng, Consultant Psychiatrist at Changi General Hospital (CGH) in Singapore, says demand for mental health programmes and courses has been increasing in recent times. "We had five requests from companies to conduct the 'Mental Health First Aid' course in the first six months of this year, compared to only four requests for the whole of last year."
The concept of "First Aid" for mental health is relatively new to Singapore. Just as first aid is administered to someone with physical injuries, mental health first aid courses provide a basic framework through which an employee can help a colleague at the first sign of trouble. Tang says the two-day CGH course was developed in Australia in 2000, but is now available in several countries around the world.
She says the demand is increasing because companies are now recognising the need to support their staff emotionally and psychologically. Successful training can help build up mental resiliency and lead to a reduction in absenteeism and staff turnover. Tang says staff who are able to manage stress better are also more productive at work.
Singapore's Institute of Mental Health's corporate consulting services has seen a similar increase in demand this year. Attendance at its programmes, offered to both corporations and the general public, are up 5% to 10% on a year-on-year basis. The institute says the most popular courses for corporations cover stress management, staff burnout, crisis intervention and "mental health first aid".
Investing in mental health
Communications provider Ogilvy & Mather acknowledges its industry can be notoriously stressful. Sue Olivier, Director of Talent and Development, says there are many life events that can temporarily affect an employee's work performance. From divorce to depression to the death of a close relative, staff can sometimes lose perspective due to factors outside the work environment. She says it's therefore important to have an effective and broad policy in place.
"Although counselling is very much a part of talent management in Ogilvy, for these types of cases, all employees have free access to an external, professional counselling practice," she says. "It is handled with complete confidentiality, with only HR and the person in question in the know."
Managing mental health takes a different route at sea. A.P. Moller - Maersk, an international shipping group, knows that the environment on board a ship can be challenging. A few highly qualified people are responsible for the safe operation of a ship worth millions of dollars itself, and carrying cargoes worth even more, explains Bjarne Foldager, Managing Director, AP Moller Singapore. He says that's a lot of pressure in the first place, but staff are also expected to operate ships in the most environmentally-friendly and efficient ways possible.
Although there is a lot of high tech automation on modern vessels, staff still need to work in shifts around the clock.
As such, AP Moller has instigated its "Employee Workplace Wellness Program (EWWP)". Designed by a fitness specialist who sailed with 10 different ships during the development stages, the EWWP addresses all of the unique challenges onboard staff face in their environment.
It takes into account the nutritional needs of staff on board no small feat considering the wide range of nationalities and cultures involved.
"Good health and a balanced lifestyle helps (us) to manage stress, productivity and morale," Foldager says. "In the hustle and bustle of daily work, most of us tend to neglect our most valuable personal attribute our health. This scenario is also prevalent, if not more pronounced, in a shipboard environment."
stress-busting tips
Stress is part and parcel of daily life. Surviving it is a matter of managing it successfully and not allowing it to build up to unhealthy levels. Sanveen Kang, Clinical Psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health offers these tips on taming the stress beast:
- Take care of yourself Ensure you have regular exercise, regular mealtimes (especially breakfast) and a balanced diet. Make sure you have sufficient sleep, and limit caffeine intake;
- Make time for yourself to rest and relax It is important to unwind and participate in activities that you enjoy doing. Plan the activities ahead to give you something to look forward to. Some examples include scheduling a massage, buying concert tickets, or attending a yoga class;
- Talk to a trusted friend or family member Sharing your problems with someone whom you can talk freely without feeling judged can help relieve the burden, give you a different perspective, and ensure you feel less isolated;
- Learn to say no' Trying to do everything will make you feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Know yourself and your limits, and be clear about them. Prioritise what needs to be done, and don't be afraid to say no' to further requests;
- Reality check Keep your reaction to changes or events in check by using a scale of one to ten. with one being a minor hassle and 10 being a true catastrophe. Some events demand immediate attention, some don't. For stressors that might be rated between two to six, just make a note and deal with them later.