Research has shown more people have migraine headaches on Sunday nights and that the rate of cardiac arrests and similar symptoms is higher during the early hours of Mondays all across the world. What does this indicate? It seems to show that employees consistently suffer from premonitions of stress and anticipate negative changes in the workplace during the working week. To put it simply, there's a lack of optimism in employees and they dread facing the new work week. In the current economic situation, this lack of optimism may have even greater ripple effects on the physical health of the workforce.
Experts agree that engagement and motivation are pivotal to achieving high performance among employees, especially in an economic downturn. Employers realise deliberate and consistent practices that ensure long-term productivity and higher levels of engagement among employees must therefore be rolled out. Interestingly, in Singapore, there is an increasing awareness amongst far-sighted employers that investing in the mental wellbeing of employees contributes directly to their organisations- bottom lines.
Research has also shown that employees working for organisations with sustainable and comprehensive mental wellbeing promotion programmes are more likely to be physically healthier than those without them. In addition, they enjoy better working relationships with their co-workers, supervisors and subordinates, adapt better to the volatile and dynamic changes that define the modern workplace, and respond constructively to both professional and personal level challenges.
No health without mental health
Having a mentally healthy and motivated workforce can bring about many positive changes to an organisation's performance. The key benefits can be measured in terms of reduced absenteeism and greater savings in healthcare expenses. Researchers have found that employees who enjoy mental wellbeing tend to take less medical leave. A Canadian study revealed that employees who sought help for mental health problems saved their companies an average of 11 days a year in medical leave costs, thus reducing absenteeism for health reasons.
At the same time, a mentally healthy workforce also means lower healthcare expenses. For example, in the USA, IBM has reported annual savings of up to US$500,000 in outpatient costs by integrating mental wellbeing into its workplace health education programme. The programme offers staff access to telephone counselling, education and referrals to other mental healthcare services.
The experiences of some enterprises in Singapore also corroborate the benefits of having a mentally healthy workforce. Mental wellbeing is important to us as it is a major part of our staff care effort, says Nicole Foo, an HR spokesperson from Trans-World Radio Asia (TWR). Without good mental wellbeing, staff relationships at work may be affected, as well as their performance.
TWR liaises with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to roll out initiatives and programmes that support employees' mental wellbeing, she adds. HR will disseminate resources given by HPB and pass on to staff via email, pin-ups, and announcements. Our Health and Sports Committee is (also) kept in the loop of what HPB is promoting and encouraged to incorporate that into its planning. HR, on the other hand, will coordinate and implement suitable health initiatives relating to relational, mental and emotional areas, she says.
Treasure Your Mind
The promotion of mental wellbeing amongst the workforce is advocated by HPB through its Treasure Your Mind (TYM) education programme. TYM empowers individuals with the know-how to optimise their mental wellbeing. TYM also reinforces the message that there is no health without mental health, as poor mental health may exacerbate or lead to physical health problems such as hypertension, ischaemic heart disease and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases.
Beyond that, TYM aims to equip participants with the life skills needed to improve their mental wellbeing in order to lead productive lives at work, at home and in the community. Furthermore, it trains supervisors, front line managers and team leaders in some basic skills to provide care, concern and support to their subordinates and helps them to provide a supportive work environment.
Are we getting there?
Yes, some organisations have been able to reach their desired targets. Trans-World Radio Asia (TWR) has so far run seven workshops available under TYM. How does it measure the success of these modules? By the rate of participation as well as the 'buy-ins' of the staff in terms of the understanding and adoption of ideas for their own workplace health management, says Foo.
Lawrence Tan, HR director for PUB, Singapore's national water agency, has had similar success. We believe in cultivating a sense of mental wellbeing among employees so as to improve the organisational climate and maintain a healthy and productive workforce, he says.
PUB has been receiving HPB's support since it first started its mental wellbeing initiatives. In particular, it has taken on the TYM programme. We have been able to synergise with HPB in organising regular and partially-sponsored workshops and other activities that are customised for our staff.
Last October, PUB worked with the HPB to pilot the 'Learning Optimism' workshop, as part of the programme. KC Leong, STO Best Sourcing Department, PUB, feels that the workshop has been a learning experience for employees. The trainer gave us a good sharing of how he overcame his own obstacles in life to become what he is today. He gave us good examples of how to accept failure as a team, and forge on, despite challenges, by looking on the bright side and adopting a 'never-give-up' attitude, says Leong.
We will also be organising the HPB's 'Building Positive Relationships' workshop to help PUB's staff foster good relationships with their colleagues and loved ones, Tan adds.
Besides continuing to leverage on the TYM programme, PUB plans to review its approach to provide better staff outreach. Integrated activities such as the upcoming staff fitness tests and last year's 'Active Day' at Bedok Reservoir are jointly organised by PUB's recreation club and staff committees. In addition, PUB will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of the staff wellbeing programme through the employee satisfaction and stress scores in the Lifestyle and Employee Opinion Surveys, says Tan.
Measuring success
Tan says the focus on mental health has certainly been successful. Since the launch of PUB's staff mental wellbeing programme in 2005, average medical leave has been reduced from 5.6 days a year to 4.6. The success of the programme is also borne out by findings from the Public Service Division Work-Life Harmony survey, conducted in June last year. The survey showed that 98% of PUB staff felt that the stress level in their workplace was manageable. 92% per cent of PUB staff were able to balance their work and personal commitments.
Furthermore, PUB received the HPB's inaugural Mental Wellbeing Award last year. Our efforts have enabled us to improve the wellbeing of our employees and create an even more engaged workforce. We will continue to improve on our existing programmes, says Tan.
Leadership support
For the programme to succeed, having the endorsement of leaders in the company is important. Foo says it is up to HR to get the right person to champion the mental health cause. The trainers taking the sessions must be good so as to engage the participants and make them look forward to more training. In such training, key needs of staff need to be discovered and addressed so that it is more practical than theoretical.
Inside the Treasure Your Mind programme
Treasure Your Mind is made up of four modules.
1. Cultivating A Healthy Mind (for all employees)(Promotes awareness among employees and supervisors on the importance of mental wellbeing.
2A. Building Skills For Mental Wellbeing (for all employees)(Equips employees with the knowledge, skills and resources to build their mental wellbeing.
2B. Building Skills For Mental Wellbeing (for supervisors and managers)(Trains supervisors to show concern and support for their staff and colleagues, recognise the early signs of mental health problems and encourage staff with such problems to seek professional help early.
3. Nurturing A Supportive Work Environment (for management)(Encourages companies to provide their staff with access to counseling and support services
+ For more information:
For the latest updates on Treasure Your Mind
Contact: 6435 3285
Email: HPB_MHE@hpb.gov.sg
Website: www.healthymind.sg
For the latest updates on HPB's Workplace Health Promotion Grant and Singapore HEALTH Award
Contact: 6435 3704
Email: HPB_Health_At_Work@hpb.gov.sg
Website: www.hpb.gov.sg/healthatwork