Making mental health a workplace priority

WHILE we’re getting better at talking about mental health as a nation, we’re still not taking the issue in the workplace seriously enough.

Most of us are quick to dismiss problems by ascribing them to “stress lah”, or “it’s just a little anxiety”, or “burnout” and even blaming laziness when productivity dips.

Even if we realise we have an issue, there isn’t much support, and when there is, we tend to avoid seeking help because the stigma is still real and we fear being penalised by not getting that promotion or even losing our jobs.

Which is why it’s timely that the Health Ministry has proposed the development of a workplace mental health policy to “help create a safer and more productive working environment”.

As health experts have said, this marks an important shift in perspective: Instead of viewing mental health as an individual issue, a policy would help employers and workers recognise it as an organisational responsibility.

Instead of only addressing a problem when an employee has already hit rock bottom and is shut down, a national policy could encourage employers to put processes in place to identify concerns early and to proactively work on an optimal work-life balance for workers.

Regular assessments should also be a part of the processes written into the policy, with employers required to review workloads, working hours and staffing levels to determine how they are affecting employees.

And everything shouldn’t be left up to HR; managers and supervisors should have at least a basic understanding of what signs to be alert to among staff members who might be struggling.

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of a national policy is legislation that ensures employers do not discriminate against staff seeking mental health help.

Smaller businesses may worry that such a policy, if introduced, would add costs and bureaucracy.

Therefore, the government must provide clear guidance and tools for employers and make affordable professional support available to implement the policy fairly and reasonably.

Fair treatment, reasonable work expectations and respect for workers do not have to cost an arm and a leg.

In fact, as Malaysian Mental Health Association president Prof Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj pointed out, “conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress-related disorders and burnout had become significant public health and economic concerns, contributing to absenteeism, presenteeism, increased medical leave, staff turnover and lower productivity”.

This policy needs to work, it must not become another document launched with speeches and then forgotten.

It should ensure harm can be prevented, problems can be identified early and support can be truly accessible and offered without stigma attached – and this should be true in all workplaces, whether public or private.