Launch of Workplace Mental Wellbeing Programme, Treasure Your Mind

10 Oct 2007

By Mr Heng Chee How

Venue: Meritus Mandarin Hotel

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good mental health is not the absence of mental illness. It is presence of wellbeing. It is the mental ability to live, work, play and contribute well. 

Increasing global emphasis on mental health

The World Health Organisation agrees with this view, and has urged greater support for efforts to promote mental wellbeing and health, with active participation by individuals and the community. Europe , UK , Australia and New Zealand have already embraced this approach. Singapore is now doing so as well. The theme of mental wellness was prominent in this year’s National Healthy Lifestyle campaign.

Personal Benefits - Healthy Mind, Happy Life

That mental health benefits the individual is both intuitive and clear. It helps us maintain a positive outlook on life and therefore be more able to deal with daily challenges and to enjoy life. Mentally strong individuals are better at building supportive relationships and are emotionally more resilient. Conversely, there is a link between depression and increased risk of coronary heart disease. Studies have shown all that.

The Business Case – Healthy Mind, Healthy Bottom-line

More productive employees

What about the relevance of mental health to business? Is there an impact? Is there a business case for looking seriously at mental health investment in the workplace? In a recent report  by the International Business Leaders Forum and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) was cited as an example. According to that report, there was a 60% reduction in the growth rate of work-related mental illness and a 29% reduction in days lost due to work-related mental health problems at GSK that can be specifically attributed to its mental health investments. Over at the Abbott Laboratories in the US, a $1 investment in mental wellbeing resulted in a $1.70 payback in employee productivity improvement. That obviously is money saved.

More attractive employer

Companies that invest in mental health also tend to have a more caring and supportive work culture. This helps them save even more through being attractive employers and by reducing employee attrition. In a fast-paced economy and tight labour market for skilled and talented personnel, this becomes a measurable source of competitive advantage.

A 2006 survey of companies by HPB showed that while 58% had in place workplace health promotion programmes, only 16% had mental well-being components within their programmes. So the ground experience in Singapore tells us that we have much potential to achieve.

In case the audience here is thinking that these studies and examples are all foreign and don’t relate to the business realities in Singapore, I am happy that IBM Singapore will be sharing how their company has benefited from their investment in employee mental wellbeing. This can and has been done in Singapore, to the company’s advantage. So I hope that the decision-makers among you will actively consider how to leverage this advantage to improve your companies’ performance and profitability.

Workplace mental well-being programme made simple

Not starting from scratch

For those who lack the know-how of organizing such mental health initiatives, help is at hand.

Treasure Your Mind

The HPB has designed an education programme called Treasure Your Mind, to help employers promote mental wellbeing purposefully and cost-effectively.

I am told that the programme offers different modules for employees, supervisors and managers, so that each can play his role well: to safeguard one’s own mental wellbeing, to support colleagues and subordinates facing difficulties, and to build a work culture and policy environment that is supportive of mental health promotion.

Financial support

To help spur adoption by companies, HPB will be subsidising part of the cost of running the programme. It will also be introducing a new award called the Treasure Your Mind Award under the Singapore HEALTH Award to recognize deserving employers in this area.

Call for Action

I hope you will capitalise on the opportunity and funding to further boost your companies’ competitiveness, resilience and reputation, and to enable your employees to enjoy a high quality of mental wellbeing. Thank you.