Over half of Singapore workers lack trusted workplace relationships, feel isolated 

MORE than half – 55 per cent – of workers in Singapore lack trusted workplace relationships, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness, says a recent study. Their mental health scores on the Telus Mental Health Index (MHI) are at least 15 points lower than those of employees who enjoy good connections with the people they work with.

This is particularly so for workers under 40, who are 80 per cent more likely than those over 50 to lack trusted personal relationships. They are also 50 per cent more likely to lack trusted workplace relationships compared to their older colleagues.

Telus Health, a provider of health technology services, conducted an online survey of 3,000 respondents between Jan 13 and Jan 22 this year. All respondents live in Singapore and were employed within the last six months.

Struggling to make social connections

Haider Amir, Telus Health’s director of Asia, notes that last year’s January report showed that two in five – or 40 per cent – Singaporeans avoid being or interacting with others. This has come home to roost, affecting their ability to create good work relationships. Telus also found in its October 2023 report that among sources of work-related stress, colleague relationships contributed most significantly to productivity loss.

“Singaporeans are continually struggling to create healthy and trusting workplace relationships, leading to increased feelings of isolation,” Amir tells The Business Times.

And isolation, along with anxiety and impact on work productivity, is consistently in the bottom three for the lowest mental health sub-score.

He says this lack of strong relationships at work is tied to several factors, one of which is pandemic-induced changes such as remote working. “The predominance of remote work and the reliance on screens for communication can weaken social connections,” he points out. This makes it difficult for workers to bond with colleagues, making them more vulnerable to declining mental health.

Recent economic strains, including inflation, housing expenses and job uncertainty, are other external stressors that lead to people disconnecting even more, compounding their difficulties.

It doesn’t help that almost half (45 per cent) of workers do not perceive, or are unsure, that their workplace is committed to ensuring employees can speak up about concerns without fear of punishment or humiliation.

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Younger workers harder hit

That younger workers below 40 have the most trouble with personal and workplace relationships is perhaps not surprising.

“The younger generation faces unique challenges due to rapid societal changes,” says Amir. “With the pandemic and ongoing lockdowns, younger workers often start their careers in remote teams, sometimes spanning different time zones.”

This is “vastly different” from the established workplace norms and networks of older colleagues, making remote work more challenging to navigate. “Furthermore, remote work – which is reliant on digital communication and lack of face-to-face interactions – can weaken social ties, worsening their mental well-being.”

Add to that the fact that younger workers have limited savings early in their careers, making it even more difficult for them to cope with stressors.

Poor relationships at work can have detrimental impacts on productivity, employee retention and engagement, ultimately hampering the bottom line of businesses, says Amir.

Efforts to build trust and relationships within the workplace should be tailored to address the needs and preferences of different age groups. “Organisations need to recognise they have a part to play when it comes to offering the right tools, support and advice to build relationships between colleagues and manage conflicts or issues,” he says.

Despite the lack of close relationships in the workplace, Singapore workers’ mental health has improved for a second consecutive period to a reading of 62.6 in January 2024, from 62 in October 2023 and 60.2 in April 2022.

A higher score on the index means better mental health, with 0-49 indicating “distressed”, 50-79 “strained”, and 80-100 “optimal”.

Amir says Singapore’s score, which falls under “strained”, is not good enough.

“Businesses are facing a workforce that is burning out and at higher risk of mental health issues,” he says. “This doesn’t just impact the individual... A disengaged worker means less productivity and business output.

“Making sure your workers are happy and engaged is a commercial imperative and as such, should be a strategic priority.”