Social activist and retired politician Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
PETALING JAYA: A comprehensive workplace mental health policy should be introduced and implemented across both the public and private sectors to address growing mental health challenges among employees, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye (pic).
The Mental Health Advisory Council member said mental health is no longer merely a personal issue but one that directly affects workplace productivity, safety, employee well-being and organisational performance.
“Today’s increasingly demanding work environments, long working hours, heavy workloads, financial pressures, rapid technological changes and poor work-life balance have contributed to rising levels of stress, anxiety and burnout among workers.
“If left unaddressed, these challenges can lead to absenteeism, reduced productivity, workplace accidents, low staff morale and higher employee turnover,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Lee said a well-designed workplace mental health policy will provide a clear framework to promote psychological well-being, prevent mental health problems and support employees facing mental health issues.
“Employers who invest in mental health are investing in their most valuable asset – their people,” he said.
Lee noted that research consistently shows organisations with mentally healthy workplaces enjoy higher employee engagement, stronger teamwork, greater innovation, lower healthcare costs and improved overall performance.
He said an effective workplace mental health policy should include mental health awareness and education programmes, training for managers to recognise early signs of mental distress, access to confidential counselling and employee assistance programmes, as well as measures to manage workplace stress and improve work-life balance.
“Mental well-being should be given the same priority as physical safety and health. Just as organisations have policies to prevent workplace injuries, they should also have policies that protect employees’ psychological health,” he added.
Lee said creating mentally healthy workplaces is not only the right thing to do but also made sound business sense, as employees who feel supported and valued are generally more resilient, motivated and productive.
