No mandatory mental health training programmes despite Singapore losing billions in productivity
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is urging organisations to identify Mental Wellbeing Champions following findings that the city-state is losing billions annually from anxiety and depression.
"We encourage every workplace to identify suitable representatives to be Mental Wellbeing Champions to increase awareness and promote adoption of mental health support measures," Manpower Minister Tan See Leng told Parliament this week.
He said those interested in becoming Mental Wellbeing Champions can join free or subsidised training programmes offered by the Workplace Safety and Health Council and Health Promotion Board.
Employers can also adopt practical guidelines via the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Wellbeing at Workplaces to support their employees, according to the minister.
"Workers too, have to take ownership of their mental well-being by taking active steps to stay positive mentally and seek help when needed," he said.
Read more: Wellbeing Champions – A New Role for Company Leaders in the Post-Pandemic Workplace
No mandatory training for managers
Leng raised the alternatives after saying the ministry does not have mandatory mental health awareness and training programmes for employers and managers.
"There is no one-size-fits-all approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing for employees," he said.
According to the minister, there is a wide range of businesses which vary in the nature of work, size of company, supervisor-employee ratio, employee needs, and company resources.
"There is also a wide spectrum of mental health conditions and a wide range of factors affecting one's mental health, some of which are beyond the workplace," he said.
Billions lost in productivity
Singapore's manpower minister made the remarks after recent findings from the Institute of Mental Health and Duke-NUS revealed that anxiety and depression are costing the country S$15.7 billion in lost productivity annually.
According to the study, which surveyed over 5,000 Singaporean adults, 14% of the respondents had symptoms consistent with depression, while 15% had symptoms consistent with anxiety.
Affected respondents are missing 17.7 days of work per year and are also 40% less productive while at work, according to the report.
"These findings reveal that successful efforts to improve mental health will have both health and productivity benefits," said Professor Eric Finkelstein, a health economist with Duke-NUS' Health Services & Systems Research Programme, in a statement.
