DOES prioritising employee mental health and well-being lead to a successful business? Is it really okay to talk about mental health issues, even at work?

These are questions which must be answered, especially after the pandemic upended how we work.

We get answers from Anthea Ong, founding chairperson of WorkWell Leaders; Crystal and Gregor Lim-Lange, co-founders of Forest Wolf; and Stephane de Montlivault, executive officer of Otis Worldwide and president of Otis Asia-Pacific. 

Globally, workplace stress and burnout seem to be on the rise. Is it corporate responsibility to take care of employees’ mental health though?

Here are highlights of the conversations, edited and condensed.

Anthea Ong: Essentially a failure of leadership and culture

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“A recent study shows that Singaporean workers have the lowest levels of engagement and job satisfaction in South-east Asia. Eighty-one per cent of Singaporean workers reported an increase in the risk of burnout, an increase of 18 per cent from 2019 levels. The factors brought up were pressure, poor leadership, job security, and toxic culture.”

Crystal and Gregor Lim-Lange: Companies need to prioritise empathy and psychological safety

“One thing that we’ve seen on the ground is that they have no choice because the Gen Zs and the younger millennials are demanding that sort of ethical standard or that sort of workplace culture. So even if you don’t believe in it, the fact is that, where is your talent going to come from if you don’t get with the programme and acknowledge changing employment tastes and trends?”

Stephane de Montlivault: Leading by example

“I started sharing some of my experiences: the challenges I have with my son who is neurodivergent with ADHD and an oppositional defiant disorder and difficulties I had during the Covid period. I had to create that balance of being seen as a normal person who not only performs in a leadership position, but also struggles at work just like everybody does.”