Employers urged to support workers amid AI adoption, financial insecurity
Employers in Singapore risk losing as many as 65.2 productivity days per worker each year when workplace culture fails to support employees' mental health, according to the latest TELUS Mental Health Index (MHI).
The report found that workers who do not perceive their organisation's culture as supportive record the lowest mental health score in the survey, at 50.4, and this group accounts for the steepest productivity losses.
By contrast, the 59% of workers who describe their workplace culture as supportive of their wellbeing recorded the highest score, 66.2, four points above the national average.
The national mental health score has remained stagnant at 62.0, with work productivity (53.0) and anxiety (53.4) identified as the weakest measures for nearly four years.
Overall, 41% of workers reported that their mental health is negatively affecting their productivity and goals, an increase of two percentage points from the previous period.
Across the workforce, 37% of workers are classified as being at high mental health risk, 45% at moderate risk, and 17% at low risk.
Haider Amir, director Asia at TELUS Health, said the findings should be a concern for employers, noting that workers who say they want better mental health support lose 48.6 working days a year to reduced productivity.
"These scores should matter to any employer, because when people's mental health declines, their productivity declines with it," Amir said.
Support amid AI adoption, financial woes
Workplace support should also come in different forms, as the report noted the impact of AI adoption and financial wellbeing on employees.
According to the report, 76% of employees in Singapore now use AI tools at least several times a month. However, some employees said their employers are not providing access to AI tools, and a small proportion said their employers actively discourage their use.
These discouraged workers, who make up 3% of respondents, recorded the lowest mental health score at 52.2, more than 11 points lower than workers whose employers encourage AI tools (63.7).
"So while companies chase efficiency gains from new tools, organisations that actively measure and support human energy alongside technological investment are the ones that will realise the truest return on innovation," Amir said.
Financial insecurity also emerged as a persistent pressure on workers' wellbeing, with 23% saying they have no emergency savings to cover basic needs.
This group recorded a mental health score of 47.7, well below the national average. Workers with an emergency fund, by comparison, scored 66.4, according to the findings.
Cost was the most cited barrier to accessing mental health support, with 54% of workers identifying cost or affordability as an obstacle. This group scored 20 points lower on the Index than workers who reported no barriers to care.
Amir said the gap in wellbeing scores between workers with and without a financial safety net "is a wake-up call."
"Employers must look toward systemic support for workers, whether that means financial literacy, comprehensive benefits, or lowering the barriers to care," Amir said.
