• A new study by Intellect and Milieu Insight reveals that while mental health benefits influence job decisions, leadership, culture, and policies play a larger role in long-term employee satisfaction.

SINGAPORE, 27 MARCH 2025 – One in five job seekers across Southeast Asia consider mental health benefits non-negotiable when evaluating job opportunities. While external mental health benefits such as Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) and corporate wellness initiatives are important, internal interventions like supportive leadership, flexible work arrangements, and a healthy workplace culture are holding increasingly greater sway over job decisions.

These findings come from “How does workplace wellbeing support impact talent acquisition and retention?”, a six-market study conducted by Intellect and Milieu Insight, which surveyed 6,000 employees across Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. 

Despite increased awareness, employees continue to struggle with wellbeing issues. Nearly half (49%) of respondents reported feeling exhausted, with the Philippines reporting the highest levels of exhaustion (60%). Mental distance, negativity, and cynicism about work were also prevalent, affecting 36% of employees in the past year. In spite of negative feelings reported towards work, interestingly, 72% of respondents rated their overall mental health as ‘good’ to ‘very good’. This gap could be explained by individual fears of reprisal or a lack of self-awareness, making it crucial for employers to look beyond surface-level assessments to fully address the underlying causes of stress and disengagement.

The Trade-offs of Overlooking Mental Health Benefits

Currently, there are more employees using mental health resources than there are employers offering them. Two-thirds of employees used some form of support tool to manage their mental health last year. This shows that there is a real demand for these resources to help employees with their mental health. 

However, financial incentives remain a powerful factor, with 65% of employees stating they might still take a job without mental health benefits if the pay increase was substantial enough. On average, employees across the region would require at least a 29% median pay increase to make the switch, with Thailand ranking the highest at 50%.

“Employers in Southeast Asia are starting to make mental health benefits accessible, but an Employee Assistance Programme is not the be-all and end-all,” said Theodoric Chew, Co-Founder and CEO of Intellect. “These benefits need to be reinforced by strong leadership, supportive policies, and a culture that prioritises wellbeing. Ultimately, a company’s wellbeing strategy is only as strong as the culture and leadership behind it. When businesses foster truly supportive environments, they empower employees to thrive, stay engaged, and reach their full potential.”

Internal Support Matters More Than External Perks

Results from the study emphasise that while mental health benefits play an important role, employees value leadership, workplace culture, and direct team support even more. Employees feel most supported by their peers (45%), followed by their direct managers (20%). This finding should nudge HR teams to focus on workplace interventions that strengthen leadership capabilities and foster psychologically safe environments, rather than relying solely on external benefits.

Kelvin Li, CFO and Co-Founder of Milieu Insight, said, “Workplace culture, leadership, and flexibility now play a critical role in career decisions, and companies that fail to address these areas may struggle with retention and engagement, even if they offer competitive pay.”

The Future of Workplace Wellbeing

The findings of this study underline the need for businesses to bridge the gap between offering mental health benefits and fostering an environment where employees truly feel supported. Companies that prioritise internal changes—through leadership development, cultural shifts, and policy improvements—will be better positioned to attract and retain top talent in an evolving job market.

For more details on the report and to access the full findings, please visit this link. 

-END- 

Research Methodology

Based on Milieu Insight surveys with N=6,000 employed respondents who work at least 35 hours

a week from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines (N=1000 each), conducted from 23rd December 2024 to 8th January 2025. The survey comprised 25 questions, which were translated into the local languages of each country where applicable.

About Intellect
The leading mental health company, Intellect’s mission is to redefine mental healthcare regionally and globally. From everyday support to clinical interventions, Intellect grounds its full continuum of care in research, ensuring everyone has easy access to preventive, responsive and personalised mental health care in the moments that matter.

As the most trusted mental healthcare provider in the region, Intellect serves some of the biggest enterprises and organisations in healthcare, government, and education. Online and offline, it has made a difference in the lives of over 3 million users.

Intellect is backed by influential investors including Tiger Global, Insignia Ventures Partners, Y Combinator, HOF Capital, MS&AD Ventures, and East Ventures, alongside prominent venture funds, family offices, big tech executives, and angel investors. In 2023, Intellect was also awarded Human Resources Online’s Best Digital Wellness Platform (Gold). 

About Milieu Insight
Milieu Insight is an award-winning survey software and data analytics company in Southeast Asia, renowned for its expertise in providing businesses with valuable insights and market research data.

Operating in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, Milieu Insight’s industry-transforming solutions have received several prestigious awards, including Campaign Asia’s Market Research Agency of the Year (Gold) and Tech MVP 2022.

Its one-stop insights platform, Canvas, offers tools for analysing and visualising consumer opinion data across a multitude of lifestyle topics and sectors, empowering businesses to make better, more impactful decisions and strategies.

Media Contacts:
Sue Yu Leow
Intellect
sue@intellect.co

Rachel Lee
Milieu Insight
rachel.lee@mili.eu

SINGAPORE, 19 MARCH 2025 – Intellect is proud to have been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025. This year’s list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations to set new standards and achieve remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy. 

“Being recognised by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies is a testament to our commitment to breaking barriers in mental health through technology and research-backed care,” said Intellect’s CEO and Co-Founder, Theodoric Chew. “As we continue expanding globally, we remain focused on pioneering solutions that empower individuals and organisations to thrive.”

In the past 12 months, Intellect has expanded its global mental healthcare ecosystem, now offering services in 120 languages across 100+ countries. This unprecedented scale ensures that individuals, no matter where they are, can access clinically validated mental health support in their preferred language and cultural context. With a truly global, yet deeply localised approach, Intellect has set a new benchmark for accessible, high-quality mental healthcare. 

To uphold the highest clinical standards, Intellect collaborates with leading mental health professionals, research institutions, and regulatory bodies worldwide. This commitment to rigorous, science-backed care has enabled Intellect to deliver gold-standard mental healthcare at a global scale, ensuring that quality and effectiveness remain at the heart of every interaction.

The World’s Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company’s hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year. To determine honourees, Fast Company’s editors and writers review companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world. 

“Our list of the Most Innovative Companies offer both a comprehensive look at innovation today and a playbook for the future,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “This year, we recognise companies that are harnessing AI in deep and meaningful ways, brands that are turning customers into superfans by overdelivering for them, and challengers that are introducing bold ideas and vital competition to their industries. At a time where the world is rapidly shifting, these companies are charting the way forward.” 

The full list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies honoress can now be found at fastcompany.com. It will also be available on newsstands beginning 25 March 2025. 

About Intellect
The leading mental health company, Intellect’s mission is to redefine mental healthcare regionally and globally. From everyday support to clinical interventions, Intellect grounds its full continuum of care in research, ensuring everyone has easy access to preventive, responsive and personalised mental health care in the moments that matter.

As the most trusted mental healthcare provider in the region, Intellect serves some of the biggest enterprises and organisations in healthcare, government, and education. Online and offline, it has made a difference in the lives of over 4 million users.

Intellect is backed by influential investors including Tiger Global, Insignia Ventures Partners, Y Combinator, HOF Capital, MS&AD Ventures, and East Ventures, alongside prominent venture funds, family offices, big tech executives, and angel investors. In 2023, Intellect was also awarded Human Resources Online’s Best Digital Wellness Platform (Gold). 

About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com. 

As a manager or HR professional, handling an emotional moment compassionately but professionally can strengthen your relationship with your team member while maintaining boundaries. Here’s what you can do when an employee cries.

What’s coming up for you?

Before stepping in to support your team member, take a moment to check in with yourself. Do you have the emotional capacity to be present and supportive at this moment? A quick self-assessment ensures you can hold space for them while maintaining professionalism.

If you find yourself emotionally affected—perhaps feeling guilt or frustration if their tears stem from your feedback—it may be best to take a step back and suggest pausing the conversation so both parties can regroup when they feel more composed.

But if you want to be there for your team, here’s a guide to doing so with empathy and tact.

How do I react when my employee cries?

Step 1: Ensure privacy

If your team member starts crying during a one-on-one, ensure you’re in a private space or suggest moving to one. Where possible, a quiet, comfortable setting helps them to feel safe to express their emotions. You’d also want to assure them that the conversation will remain confidential to maintain trust. 

If this happens during a group call, consider giving them the option to drop off early and following up with them separately. Acknowledge their distress and offer to continue the conversation via a private call or at a later time.

Step 2: Check if they to talk or be left alone 

Respect that not everyone is ready to talk when they’re overwhelmed. Ask them gently:

• “Would you like a moment alone, or would you prefer to talk about what’s on your mind?”
• “I can step away for a few minutes if you need some time, or I’m happy to listen if that would help.”

If they need time, let them know it’s okay. Offer to check back in later and follow through on that promise.

Step 3: Ask open-ended questions

If they are ready to talk, encourage expression with open-ended questions:

• “What are you feeling right now?”
• “How have you been coping?”
• “What’s been on your mind lately?”

Avoid:

• “Why” questions, which can feel accusatory or invalidating, such as “Why do you feel this way?”
• Probing too much into personal matters, especially if their stressors are outside of work.
• “Diagnosing” them, such as “Are you sure you don’t have social anxiety?”

Step 4: Practice active listening

Once they start sharing, focus on making them feel heard. Remember, your role is to listen, not to fix.

• Offer verbal affirmations: “I hear you,” “That sounds really difficult,” or “I appreciate you sharing this with me.”
• Paraphrase and check for understanding: “It sounds like you’re blaming yourself for everything that went wrong in the group project. Did I get that right?”
• Normalise their feelings: “It’s completely understandable to feel this way given everything you’re handling right now.”

Avoid:

• Jumping to problem-solving too soon, like “Have you tried managing your time more effectively?” Sometimes, they just need to vent before solutions are discussed.
• Minimising their problems, like “It’s not that bad.” or “You’re thinking too much.” 
• Toxic positivity, like “You’ve got this!” or “Just stay positive!”

Step 5: Offer support within boundaries

Tempting as it is to offer solutions that have worked for us, being prescriptive can sometimes come across as presumptuous. Instead, ask your team member exactly how you can support them once they have shared their thoughts: 

• “What do you need right now to feel a little better?”
• “Would it help if we revisited your workload to see if any adjustments can be made?”
• “Would you like me to connect you with our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or other resources?”

While empathy is essential, remember you are not their therapist. If what your team member needs is beyond your scope, guide them to appropriate resources or professional support. 

What to do after an employee cries

When wrapping up the conversation, express appreciation for their trust and vulnerability.  If they remain emotionally overwhelmed, encourage them to take the rest of the day off. 

Reassure them, where appropriate, that this moment will not affect your perception of their professional abilities. Reinforcing psychological safety can help them feel more secure in their role.

Consider these follow-up steps:

• Connect them with resources – If applicable, share information on Employee Assistance Programmes or mental health hotlines. You may also assure them it’s okay to take time off work to use these resources.
  
• Make reasonable accommodations – If work-related stress is a factor, consider workload adjustments where possible. For example, can their deadlines be adjusted? Can workload distribution be re-evaluated?
  
• Follow up in the next meeting – A simple check-in shows continued support: “How have you been feeling since our last conversation?”

Last but certainly not least, take care of yourself. Providing emotional support when an employee cries can be draining. Reflect on what you need to decompress, whether it’s a short break, a conversation with a mentor, or engaging in self-care activities. Small, consistent self-care habits help prevent burnout.

And if you feel you could have handled it better, go easy on yourself! Supporting someone in distress can be uncomfortable, and most managers aren’t formally trained for these situations. The fact that you tried in spite of that speaks volumes, and you deserve a pat on the back for that.

Mental Health First Aid™ 

According to a 2023 study by Deloitte, 94% of employees feel their manager should have at least some responsibilities for their wellbeing—and 96 percent of managers agree. There’s just one gap to be bridged: a lack of know-how. 

Enter Mental Health First Aid™, a programme that has trained over five million people across 24 countries since 2000. As the course’s sole licensed provider in Singapore, Intellect believes in empowering managers and team members to be the first responders to coworkers who may be struggling. Learn more here. 

SINGAPORE, 10 MARCH 2025 – Intellect, a global mental health benefits company, has released the second edition of its anticipated report, Workplace Wellbeing 360 Report 2025: Benchmarking 10 Industries Across the World. Providing data-driven insights into the evolving dynamics between workplace mental health and performance, the report is based on data from 50,000 employees from 182 countries and using Intellect’s proprietary and holistic 26-question Dimensions measurement framework.

Diving deep into the four components of workplace wellbeing – employee wellbeing, organisational support, work engagement and employee productivity – the report aims to compare workplace wellbeing across 10 industries globally, as well as help organisations assess their own state of workplace wellbeing against local and global peers.

“With the findings in Workplace Wellbeing 360 Report 2025: Benchmarking 10 Industries Across the World, it’s clear that mental wellbeing is a key driver of business success,” said Theodoric Chew, Co-founder & CEO of Intellect. “Employers that invest in support systems, initiatives and programmes that help employees feel valued, will ultimately create healthier workplaces where teams are more productive and engaged. With this report, we want to empower employers and human resources professionals to make strategic, data-driven recommendations that drive measurable outcomes and enhance organisational performance.”

Employees in APAC feel more supported at work

In a year that saw global perceptions of organisational support decline slightly, Intellect’s report found that employees across the majority of industries in Asia Pacific (APAC) showed more positive sentiments in 2024. This led to a 1.5% year-on-year increase that enabled the region to reach parity with other regions.

The contrasting trend between APAC and other regions is also consistent when examining the personal factors that influence workplace wellbeing, with employees in APAC reporting improvements in areas such as mental wellbeing and resilience, among others, while their global counterparts reported dips or negligible growth in these areas.

Mental wellbeing is the strongest enabler of productivity

The findings point to personal mental wellbeing (r=0.67) as the most important factor when determining employee productivity, even more so than growth mindset (r=0.17) and goal orientation (r=0.17), two factors that many organisations prioritise.

Correlation between Mental Wellbeing and Employee Productivity

This shows that investing in workplace mental health is both a strategic and financial imperative for businesses, and that personal development could be an overlooked driver of performance.

Employees are taking less time off – but this may be hindering productivity

Presenteeism, the phenomenon where employees are present but not engaged due to physical and mental health concerns, is rising. In 2024, presenteeism increased by nearly 8%, rising from 38.2% in 2023 to 41.2%, leading to a dip in productivity and efficiency. Further, presenteeism is a greater financial burden on organisations, costing 3X as much as absenteeism, or the number of days employees miss due to physical or mental health.

Helping employees manage stress is an urgent need globally

Though the global workforce has improved in self-efficacy, purpose and meaning, and optimism, there have been significant downward shifts in stress management, growth mindset, and self-awareness.

In line with their global counterparts, employees in APAC reported declines in stress management. With a year-on-year decrease from 60% in 2023 to 58% in 2024, employers should implement targeted initiatives. This will help mitigate stress and help staff members maximise their productivity in ways that are healthy, promote greater work-life balance and foster greater self-awareness. 

For more details on the report and to access the full findings, please visit here.

-END- 

Research Methodology

Intellect Benchmarking utilises the data collected from 50,000 users (Close to 20,000 B2B users) of Intellect based on responses to Intellect Dimensions (Personal Insights Quiz), a 26-item holistic wellbeing questionnaire developed by subject matter experts at Intellect. On average, users respond to the questionnaire every 18-21 days to monitor their journey within the platform. A summary report is provided to users, based on 13 personal factors derived from the aggregation of Intellect Dimensions item scores.

Users are categorised based on demographic data such as the industry that they work in, country, gender and age group. Scores are aggregated to form the average for the various categories.

Benchmark scores span across a wide range of variables, are influenced by 13 personal factors, and are broadly grouped into four distinct organisational wellbeing categories:

• Employee Productivity, which is measured in terms of productivity loss (presenteeism) and absenteeism due to physical and mental health.. 
• Employee Wellbeing, which assesses the overall mental and emotional wellbeing of employees. 
• Organisational Support, which considers the extent to which employees perceive assistance as adequate.
• Work Engagement, which is informed by the level of commitment and involvement of employees. 

About Intellect
The leading mental health company, Intellect’s mission is to redefine mental healthcare regionally and globally. From everyday support to clinical interventions, Intellect grounds its full continuum of care in research, ensuring everyone has easy access to preventive, responsive and personalised mental health care in the moments that matter.

As the most trusted mental healthcare provider in the region, Intellect serves some of the biggest enterprises and organisations in healthcare, government, and education. Online and offline, it has made a difference in the lives of over 3 million users.

Intellect is backed by influential investors including Tiger Global, Insignia Ventures Partners, Y Combinator, HOF Capital, MS&AD Ventures, and East Ventures, alongside prominent venture funds, family offices, big tech executives, and angel investors. In 2023, Intellect was also awarded Human Resources Online’s Best Digital Wellness Platform (Gold). 

Media Contacts:

Sue Yu Leow
Intellect
sue@intellect.co

As a follow-up to Singapore’s Tripartite Advisory on Mental Well-being at Workplaces, the Workplace Safety and Health Council’s (WSHC) Mental Well-being Workgroup, a coalition of government, social service, and voluntary welfare representatives, has put forward Guidelines on Providing Support for Employees with and at-risk of Mental Health Conditions. 

Drafted especially for senior management, supervisors, and human resource personnel, this 45-page resource aims to help employers better support employees facing mental health challenges. 

Since the guidelines went up for public feedback in October 2023, employers and advocates have highlighted areas for improvement, asking for simpler language and practical examples. This article breaks down the essentials of the 45-page report, offering both a clearer summary and strategies from Intellect and its partners—many of whom have already implemented the WSHC’s suggestions. 

Summary of WSHC’s Guidelines on Providing Support for Employees with and at-risk of Mental Health Conditions

Unlike physical illnesses like COVID-19, where one either tests positive or negative, mental health isn’t so black-and-white. 

Recognising this complexity, WSHC’s guidelines are built around a mental health continuum. Rather than viewing mental health as a static “healthy” or “unwell” condition, this model acknowledges that individuals can move between “healthy,” “at risk,” and “unwell” states, depending on life events, stressors, and coping mechanics. 

For example, an employee with fulfilling relationships and a positive outlook on their work may be in the “healthy” state. However, prolonged stress from workload increases or personal challenges, like marital difficulties, could shift them to the “at risk” state. If these stresses compound further—such as through a major personal loss, like a divorce, or ongoing chronic stress—their mental health may deteriorate to the “unwell” state.

WSHC’s guidelines specifically target the support of employees in the “at risk” or “unwell” phases through three main areas of focus.

1. Recognition: Nurturing a supportive mental wellbeing workplace culture 

The first step is helping employees maintain a “healthy” state and reach out to colleagues who may be moving toward “at risk.” 

Senior management, supervisors, and HR personnel are encouraged to leverage resources like the Workplace Fairness Legislation and the Well-being Champions Network, and take actionable steps towards destigmatisation. Key actions include:

• Vulnerable leadership: An executive who shares about their experiences with burnout makes employees feel safe in opening up.
• Training and education: HR might conduct training sessions on recognising stress indicators and how to approach a colleague who may need support.
• Flexible work arrangements: Offering the option to work from home allows employees to focus on their wellbeing while maintaining productivity.
• Leadership training: Managers can be trained to create psychological safety within their teams by adopting leadership styles that are more empowering.
• Work-life balance: Encouraging employees to disconnect from work emails after hours helps create boundaries between their professional and personal lives. 
• Safe spaces: Companies in industries like tech and finance may offer on-site counsellors where employees can confide in professionals about their challenges.
• Clear communication channels: Anonymous platforms allow employees to submit concerns without fear of repercussions, enabling management to take appropriate action.

2. Referral: Establishing a system to refer employees to professional help

The second step is encouraging “at risk” and “unwell” employees to seek help, and connecting them to appropriate resources. WSHC’s guidelines break this down into two parts: 

• Enabling action: Regular check-ins, supportive networks, and training help employees feel comfortable reaching out when they notice a colleague in distress.
  
• Ensuring access: Employers should facilitate access to professional mental health services, such as counselling, psychotherapy, clinical psychology, or even psychiatry. Where Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) may not provide these services, the WSHC advises employers to connect staff with community resources.

WSHC encourages employers to maintain ongoing support throughout the process, ensuring that regular documentation of discussions is kept, experts in human resources and occupational health are consulted, and the individual’s progress is consistently monitored. 

3. Reintegration: Establishing a return-to-work (RTW) system to reintegrate employees back to work

The third step is easing employees with or recovering from mental health challenges back to work. The WSHC’s guidelines outline a structured RTW approach that addresses:

• Early contact: Reach out early to the returning employee to assess their readiness to return to work and address any concerns.
• Support system: Establish a support network that includes community partners, supervisors, and designated “buddies” to ensure a smooth transition.
• Co-created RTW plan: Collaborate with the employee on a plan that includes a phased return to the workplace, temporary work adjustments, and retraining if necessary. 
• Team dynamics: Prepare the team by emphasising empathy, encouraging open dialogue, and monitoring group dynamics.
• Ongoing monitoring: Continuously track the employee’s progress, adapting the RTW plan as needed and expressing your appreciation for their resilience.

Blockers employers face (and how Intellect can help) 

While WSHC’s guidelines are a good start to supporting employees with mental health challenges, putting these strategies into practice is not always straightforward. Employers will encounter blockers at each step of the process—from recognition to referral and reintegration.

1. “We don’t know where to begin.” 

As Intellect’s CEO Theodoric Chew notes, “In conversations with clients and business partners, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and more traditional companies, I have learned that many are unsure of where to begin, unclear of what initiatives may make the most impact and discouraged by the lack of engagement with the programmes rolled out.”

Indeed, one of the most common challenges companies face is the implementation of generic wellness initiatives (think one-off mental health day celebrations) that can seem tokenistic and fail to engage employees meaningfully. Unsurprisingly, these programmes often see low participation rates, probing leaders to question their value and possibly abandon workplace wellbeing efforts altogether.

Try: An organisational wellbeing diagnosis 

Just as a physical health check-up often kickstarts meaningful lifestyle changes, an organisational wellbeing diagnosis lays the groundwork for targeted workplace wellbeing initiatives. Sure, pulse surveys can give a snapshot of engagement levels. But they often lack the depth needed for actionable insights.

Enter Intellect Dimensions, a clinically validated tool that checks your workforce’s “vitals”, pinpointing specific areas for improvement, from “stress management” to “emotion regulation.” By diagnosing these unique needs, you can align your initiatives to areas that truly matter. 

For instance, if your assessment identifies “sleep” as a common challenge, a targeted webinar on sleep hygiene—facilitated by one of Intellect’s clinical psychologists—will resonate more than a general wellness workshop, making your interventions more impactful.

2. “We can’t get leadership onboard.”

In Singapore, employers making workplace adjustments for employees with mental health conditions have reported improved productivity, enhanced performance, and greater employee retention, according to a 2017 study by the National Council of Social Service. Every dollar invested yielded an average return of $5.60—indicating significant financial and organisational gains.

Yet, many leaders remain sceptical, perceiving such data as abstract or too removed from their own business context. This disconnect often stands in the way of implementing effective workplace wellbeing initiatives, as leaders may question their tangible value.

Try: A tried-and-tested ROI methodology  

Beyond a general sense of improved morale, how do you know a workplace wellbeing initiative is truly making a difference? Intellect’s ROI methodology takes the guesswork out by measuring impact in dollars and cents. It calculates cost savings from reductions in absenteeism and presenteeism after implementing these programs, illustrating how workplace wellbeing initiatives translate into financial gains for the business.

In a recent ROI study, over 2,000 employees used Intellect’s resources over six weeks. The results showed substantial savings, with absenteeism and presenteeism improvements translating to S$3,580 and S$65,932 saved, respectively, within that period. Such concrete metrics give HR teams a persuasive case to present to leadership, making workplace wellbeing initiatives defensible. 

3. “We have an EAP, but it’s underutilised.” 

It’s no surprise that most traditional Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) see low utilisation of around 3% to 5%. Traditional EAPs primarily cater to employees who are already “un-well”, leaving those in the “healthy” or “at-risk” stages without support that could prevent escalation. This gap may explain why, in a recent Singapore study, only 15% of HR professionals reported that their companies provide truly comprehensive mental health resources.

“Without comprehensive mental health resources, employees are left with access gaps that impact their ability to seek relevant support,” said Chew.

“For example, a 24/7 crisis hotline may not meet the needs of employees dealing with daily work stressors – they might benefit more from quick, self-regulation tools. Conversely, activities like mindfulness workshops may fall short for those who require crisis support.”

Try: An end-to-end suite of services

It’s great to raise awareness about mental health, but without the right resources in place, this awareness can sometimes be more frustrating than helpful. That’s why Intellect EAP is designed to meet employees at every point on the mental health continuum.

• Low intensity, mild symptoms: Self-guided Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) content, personal coaching, and counselling.
• Moderate intensity, moderate symptoms: Professional counselling or psychotherapy tailored to the individual’s needs.
• High intensity, severe symptoms: 24/7 crisis helplines and specialised treatments like clinical psychology and psychiatry. 

Plus, as a third-party provider using Zero-Knowledge Encryption, Intellect EAP guarantees strict confidentiality, reassuring employees about their privacy and addressing any concerns around stigma.

4. “We’re unsure of practical workplace accommodations.”  

Much has been said about prevention and treatment, but reintegration—the process of helping employees return to work after a mental health-related absence—often goes overlooked. It may seem straightforward to say, “Welcome back, we hope you’re feeling better,” but the reality is much more complex. 

Employers may struggle with determining whether an employee is truly ready to return and deciding what accommodations are needed for different mental health conditions. On top of that, they may fear implementing these adjustments, fearing that it might set a precedent that’s hard to reverse. 

This creates a tension between practical business concerns and the need to be empathetic, which employers often have to navigate with little to no guidance. But it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. 

Try: Organisational development consultancy 

With Intellect, employers can leave the complexities of employee reintegration to the experts. 

For a start, our clinicians conduct comprehensive Return-to-Work (RTW) assessments to evaluate if employees are ready to return and identify what accommodations may be needed based on their specific mental health conditions. 

On a broader level, our Organisational Development Consultancy (ODC) team, who are experts in the latest research on workplace accommodations, can partner with you to establish a robust RTW system. 

Research shows that specific accommodations can help improve job tenure, reduce the severity of mental health challenges, and yield positive economic outcomes at minimal cost. Some of these accommodations include:

• Scheduling Flexibility: This can include part-time hours, time off for medical appointments, flexible work schedules, unpaid leave, more frequent breaks, extra time to complete tasks, or slowing the pace of tasks.

• Communication Facilitation: This includes providing a job coach, offering positive feedback, adapting the method of providing feedback (e.g., written or via email), training supervisors to provide necessary accommodations, and setting up regular check-ins with supervisors.

• Job Description Modification: Introducing tasks gradually, minimising job description changes, offering job-sharing opportunities, allowing work-from-home options, breaking tasks into smaller steps, or even altering roles or responsibilities.

• Physical Space Accommodation: Adjustments such as providing access to rest areas, private spaces, changes to the physical workspace, noise reduction, better lighting, or providing refrigeration for medication.

Having worked with numerous employers to implement these accommodations, Intellect’s ODC team knows what works best for different contexts. With expert guidance, you can confidently navigate the reintegration process and create a more inclusive workplace.

5. “Our managers and team members are not ready.”  

Having the right systems in place is essential, but it’s the people—managers and employees—that truly bring them to life.

HR may have the best intentions, but are managers and employees on the same page? Are team members willing to accommodate a returning employee, or will they feel unfair about taking on extra work?

Even if team members are open to accommodations, do they know what to say—or not say—during lunch on the first day back? If the returning employee shows signs of relapse, do they know how to intervene appropriately? 

Without the right training, the wellbeing of the employee—and the team—can be at risk.

Try: Mental Health First Aid™ (MHFA) training 

As the only licensed provider of Mental Health First Aid™ (MHFA) in Singapore, Intellect empowers your employees to become the first line of support for coworkers facing mental health challenges.

What sets MHFA apart from other training programs is its balanced approach, combining both theory and practical application. Not only does it help employees spot early warning signs of common mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, but it also teaches them how to respond with empathy and in a timely manner. Roleplay exercises during on-site sessions simulate real-world scenarios, preparing participants to engage with colleagues and guide them toward the right support when needed.

By increasing mental health literacy across your workforce, MHFA ensures that everyone—from managers to team members—is better prepared to handle sensitive situations.

Overcome these obstacles with Intellect 

As Chew highlights, “Supporting employee wellbeing is not just a moral imperative but a business necessity. Organisations should take a holistic and proactive approach to workplace wellbeing, ensuring employees have access to the right support, no matter where they fall on the mental health spectrum.”

Intellect’s workplace wellbeing solutions align closely with the philosophy of the Workplace Safety and Health Council’s Guidelines on Providing Support for Employees with and at Risk of Mental Health Conditions. Our approach is structured to support:

• Every state on the mental health continuum, from prevention to acute care.
• Every stage of the mental health journey, from recognition to referral and reintegration.
• Every key stakeholder, including leadership, HR, managers, and team members.

That is also why we have been recognised with the Human Resources Online HR Vendor of the Year Award for Best Digital Wellness Platform (Silver) and Corporate Wellness Provider (Bronze).

With a proven track record, Intellect EAP helps organisations boost workplace wellbeing and strengthen overall performance, demonstrating that supporting employee mental health is both ethically right and strategically advantageous.

Reach out to us for a demo today. 

Such is the nature of the modern work environment. Although the world is several years removed from the pandemic, organisations continue to grapple with balancing employee wellbeing in a landscape where remote and hybrid work models are now the norm.

In this landscape, businesses must continually evaluate their employee benefits to attract and retain top talent. At Intellect’s Mental Health Festival 2024, Cassandra Loh, VP of Partnerships & Solutions at Intellect, will be joined by Dr Vanessa San, Wellbeing Leader of Mercer Singapore, and Yvonne Lu, Assistant Vice President of Client Relations at iXchange, to discuss future-proofing employee benefits.

Employee benefits trends in 2024

1. Take a holistic approach to wellbeing

Recognising that true wellbeing transcends physical and mental health, companies have started to adopt holistic models that cover other dimensions, from nutritional to social wellbeing. 

For example, while a well-stocked pantry is appealing, companies often offer “free food” without much consideration for nutritional quality. Vanessa shared that she was particularly impressed by a client who curated their snack selection based on employees’ emotional states.

“You can go into the pantry and, depending on whether you feel anxious, tired, or low, choose snacks across different shelves and compartments,” she explained. 

Of course, not every business has the budget to provide nutritious snacks or meals, but creativity can go a long way. To support employees’ social well-being, for instance, Yvonne suggested that companies could partner with organisations to offer volunteering opportunities.

“[There’s] a bag of tricks that HR can look into and, hopefully, employees will fit in one of the buckets,” she said. One advantage of holistic wellbeing is that it provides companies with more ways to meet employees’ varied needs.

2. Engage employees both online and offline 

According to Yvonne, the pandemic marked a turning point in how we define healthcare.

“Healthcare used to be very clinically focused, where we talked about treating acute conditions and managing chronic illnesses. Now, especially in post-pandemic times, you see a big steer towards preventive mental wellness,” Yvonne explained.

This move from reactive to preventive wellness has fueled the rise of tech platforms offering a more comprehensive and responsive approach to employee benefits. Intellect, for instance, empowers employees to seek support from coaches, counsellors, and psychotherapists, with referrals to clinical psychologists or psychiatrists if a condition worsens and requires medical intervention.

The advantages of these platforms have encouraged employers to incorporate tech solutions alongside traditional healthcare providers, though their reception may vary across different employee groups.

“Companies are looking at the different portfolios and demographics of the employees, and they’re saying that the new generation loves to be engaged online while the older generations would still like to be physically and socially engaged,” Yvonne noted. 

Even for organisations with relatively young workforces, this hybrid approach remains valuable as they reinstate back-to-office policies. By offering resources through digital platforms and enhancing engagement with in-person interactions, companies can help keep employees actively connected.

3. Involve every aspect of the organisation

By now, it’s clear that employee wellbeing isn’t solely the responsibility of company leaders or HR. Vanessa emphasised the importance of an “ecosystem approach” that weaves wellbeing into every aspect of organisational culture, encouraging companies to start by reassessing their policies.

“Consider your flexi-work arrangement, medical health leaves, anti-stigma policies, DEI policies, and even the built environment. Are they conducive for reducing stress, or do they produce stress?” Vanessa asked. 

Even performance management deserves scrutiny. If goals are unrealistic, the role itself may need redesign, as “no medication programme can help with being overloaded and having to work crazy days.” 

Vanessa also advocates for expanding mental health literacy across the entire workforce—not just among leaders and managers—and backing it up with robust employee benefits. As Cassandra aptly noted, raising awareness without ensuring access to care and support can actually be more harmful than raising no awareness at all.

“You have your EAP, your peer support networks, your insured and self-insured healthcare, partners such as Intellect as well as other healthcare providers and government organisations to support the ecosystem,” Vanessa said.

Vanessa added that organisations should measure and evaluate the ROI of their initiatives. By identifying what works and what doesn’t, companies can make informed decisions, allocate resources more effectively, and implement further improvements.

4. Promote individual ownership of wellbeing

“You can only help someone who wants to help themselves.” This statement captures the primary challenge in promoting employee wellbeing, which often relies on a top-down approach. Vanessa noted that this method typically falls short due to the inherent power imbalance between employers and employees.

Rather than merely instructing employees to care for themselves, leaders can model healthy behaviours by actively utilising the company’s employee benefits. They can also engage key opinion leaders within the organisation to help design—and even gamify—wellbeing initiatives.

“If people set goals for themselves in terms of wellbeing and achieve them, then maybe they get points that they can redeem, or they get extra leave days,” Vanessa suggested.

Yvonne added that leaders should pay attention to bottom-up initiatives they can support. For instance, when her colleagues at iXchange spontaneously formed a running group, the leadership noticed and fully endorsed it.

“The company allows the employees to go off half an hour early so when they go on their run, they can catch the sunset,” Yvonne explained. 

Whether it’s an interest group or a broader company initiative, she observed that a leader’s involvement is often the most effective form of support.

“It gives the employee population, you know, the mindset that, ‘Hey, the management is really supportive,” Yvonne added. 

5. Set realistic expectations of tech solutions 

Tech has transformed many fields, and HR is no exception. Yet, the shift to a data-driven approach is fraught with challenges.

Vanessa noted that organisations may encounter cultural resistance from HR teams accustomed to designing employee benefits by imitating industry peers or prioritising the lowest cost. Unsurprisingly, these one-size-fits-all approaches often yield unsatisfactory results.

“It’s really about slowing the conversation down and asking: Have you done a needs analysis to understand what your people are really like? Have you done surveys? Let’s look at your claims, your app utilisation, and any other data points that you have. Then, we can start talking about what the programme should look like,” Vanessa shared. 

Additionally, company leaders may expect to see immediate ROI and cut the programme prematurely if it falls short. Organisations need to remind stakeholders there is no quick fix—meaningful change takes time.

“In terms of really making a dent on the outcomes—be it resilience, absenteeism, presenteeism productivity—that’s a longer-term journey: Year three and beyond,” she declared.  

To avoid appearing impersonal, companies must also carefully balance tech adoption with a “human touch.” Vanessa highlighted Intellect as a platform that achieves this balance by offering multiple options.

“You have your app, you have options for text chat, you have options for online coaching, but you have options for face-to-face as well. So I think that’s going to be increasingly important where you have that scalability, but you also cater for people who need that high touch,” she said. 

Missed this session at Mental Health Festival 2024? Watch the replay here.

When CEO of Jardines MINDSET Jeffery Tan spoke with a friend and senior partner of a large firm, he was struck by a statement of his: “I’d rather admit to the fact that I’ve got cancer than I have a mental health challenge.” 

The fact that the latter has access to employee wellbeing benefits shows just how pervasive mental health stigma is. And it’s not hard to see why. 

“There’s a practical issue,” Jeffery continued. “Even when people can look past the stigma, when promotional opportunities come up, how would they look at the person who put their hand up and said they had a mental health issue?”

1. Model the virtues you want to see

A 2022 survey found that 64% of Singaporeans feared potential career setbacks if their employers were aware of their mental health issues. This stigma leads them to suffer in silence rather than seeking help. To counter this, Jeffery suggested that C-suite leaders model the virtues they want to see in their employees, such as openness. 

“Sometimes, in a C-Suite or as leaders we tend to think of ourselves as supermen or wonderwomen. We should be able to take the next challenge or the next level of pain. But I think leaders forget we are also human beings,” said Tan. 

“I think the first step to [creating a space of trust and safety] is to recognise that we too are human.” 

This might mean starting conversations about mental health at work or actively using the employee wellbeing benefits they’ve endorsed.

At Jardines MINDSET, for instance, employees have the option to work from home twice a week. Yet, when a team member asked how often he actually does, Jeffery admitted with a smile, “Probably only twice in the past month.”

When a leader openly acknowledges that they, too, could make better use of a benefit to support their work-life balance, it sends a powerful message. It not only humanises them, but it also normalises the use of company benefits without the fear of losing professional visibility.

2. Invest in an “employee wellbeing” headcount 

In the wake of COVID-19, CEO of Pacific Prime Heena Bose thought it was “good enough” that her organisation offers an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). This changed when HR reported its take-up rate to be a dismal 3% to 5%. 

“That’s the reason we came up with the wellness coordinator role in the organisation. That set the tone that we do believe in (employee wellbeing),” Heena said.

The wellness coordinator is responsible for enhancing the workforce’s mental health literacy through educational initiatives and activities that promote holistic wellbeing. Recently, Pacific Prime hosted a wellness bazaar featuring annual health screenings, massage sessions, and workshops on nutrition and other relevant topics. 

This individual also ensures the quality of such offerings, preventing them from becoming token gestures. For instance, Pacific Prime’s wellness coordinator actively seeks out vendors who are not only subject matter experts but also have the ability to inspire employees to take care of themselves. 

“We (previously) engaged doctors, but we learned that not every doctor can communicate as well as they treat patients. You need to get people who can engage their audiences,” said Heena. 

“It really helps employees come to work with happy faces. The take-up rate was good. It’s encouraging for us as an organisation to continue spending time and working on this.”

3. Create sustainable workloads 

Singapore’s Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing recently shone a spotlight on the wellbeing of teachers, outlining a slew of measures to streamline non-teaching duties and reduce their administrative load by 10%.

This has sparked broader discussions about creating more sustainable workloads.

“We’ve been focusing a lot on the workplace and workforce. But are we ready to talk about work – to redefine work? To redesign work?” questioned Ong. 

In other words, is work structured in a way that enables leaders and employees to manage their workloads sustainably, without risking mental or physical burnout? With technology’s support, can we further ease these burdens?

“As an organisation, I personally feel we’ve done this very well,” remarked Heena. 

One way Pacific Prime supports this approach is by promoting managers internally rather than hiring from outside. This not only provides career advancement but also reflects their belief that to lead, one must first have experience in the role.

“Team members who have done the work become managers who are going to lead. They know exactly how to manage the work, and what is overloading or holding the team back,” she said. 

Pacific Prime also prides itself on a culture where employees are encouraged to arrive and leave on time. If anyone works beyond office hours, Heena approaches them to discuss the reasons, which helps her understand the workload’s demands and whether more staff are needed.

4. Go back to the basics

Mental and physical health are deeply interconnected, yet essential habits are often neglected. 

A good night’s sleep is essential to both mental and physical wellbeing. Quality sleep influences cognitive functions like learning and memory retention and is strongly linked to mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Additionally, sleep quality impacts workplace productivity and performance, as inadequate rest can impair focus, decision-making, and overall effectiveness.

“You really need to have a good sleep. That’s the foundation for you to operate in any role, personal or professional,” said Heena. 

However, Singaporeans are among the most sleep-deprived in the world. A YouGov survey found that only one in four (27%) people in Singapore get the recommended seven hours of sleep or more every night. 

Anthea Ong, Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of WorkWell Leaders, shared that leaders in the organisation make it a priority to check in on team members’ sleep patterns. Lifestyle factors like sleep are often overlooked in one-on-ones, where the focus typically remains on tasks and deadlines. Yet, these insights are invaluable, painting a fuller picture of employees’ overall wellbeing and productivity.

In addition to adequate rest, Heena, who enjoys meditating in her free time, underscores the importance of cultivating hobbies as a way to decompress and recharge

“This is a habit I’d like to instil in young managers. They need to have a personal hobby, whatever it may be,” she said. 

Missed this session at Mental Health Festival 2024? Watch the replay here.

While growth is generally seen as a positive sign for companies, it can backfire if employee wellbeing is not prioritised. As the workforce expands and diversity increases, how can we build a cohesive culture of wellbeing in a dispersed workforce?

We invited top HR leaders to talk about this in a panel interview at Intellect’s Mental Health Festival 2024: Yvonne Tan, Chief People Officer of dentsu SEA, Aslam Sardar, CEO of Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP), and Meenakshree Nanda, Senior Manager, HRBP and Organisation Capability of DP World.

Employee wellbeing for everyone

1. Get buy-in across the board

Yvonne emphasised the importance of inclusive leadership at Dentsu, whose mantra is: globally consistent, locally relevant.

“It’s like bearbricks,” the CPO of dentsu SEA said, referencing the collectible designer toy known for its endless designs. “Their structure is the same, but all of them are donned in different colours and represent different cultures.”

Rather than taking a top-down approach, dentsu believes in giving everyone a voice and seeking out their perspectives in meetings, both big and small.

“When we have a meeting, it’s a very big meeting because all of their voices matter. They need to hear once from the top before taking (localisation) offline,” Yvonne added. 

Having worked with over 150 nationalities and in 180 countries with DP World, Senior Manager Shree emphasises regional stakeholder buy-in. Their deep understanding of cultural nuances makes them well-suited to advance the organisation’s initiatives.

An often underappreciated source of advocacy comes from the wellbeing champions, appointed by DP World in every region to act as the organisation’s “voices, hands, and legs.”

“When promoting initiatives, it’s not just one person saying, ‘Let’s do this.’ It’s a very cohesive effort across leaders, regional stakeholders, and other individuals who aren’t necessarily from Human Resources,” she stated.

2.  Redesign workload and KPI

It has become too familiar a scene whenever companies get too laser-focused on hitting KPIs, all at the expense of mismanaged workload and employee bandwidth. Aslam, CEO of IHRP, shared how this is often a slippery slope: a growth-first mindset at all costs, without the consideration of right-sizing targets. 

For two years in a row, IHRP’s annual employee engagement survey revealed that workload is the top stressor. To address this issue, he began by having employees plan their workload around 200 working days. When he found that this was still inadequate, he reduced the number to 150-180 days.

In addition to man-hours, he also reviewed KPIs.

“KPI is the elephant in the room. If you don’t fix your KPI and right-size your targets, if you pursue growth at all costs, you’re going to have a problem.”

Aslam implored business leaders and HR managers to sit down and ask the tough questions.

“Is the KPI realistic? And if I push the KPI button, how is it going to affect the wellbeing of my team? I encourage you to bring such conversations back to your bosses,” he urged.  

3. Over-communicate options

Stigma is a major reason why employees do not engage with wellbeing resources. Additionally, many employees don’t know their organisation even offers an EAP, making lack of awareness a close second. This is why it’s important to over-communicate.

To start, Shree recommends reaching employees through multiple platforms. Rather than relying on an easily missed newsletter or an annual town hall, she believes that regional translations and frontline help desks will make these resources much more approachable.

Furthermore, since employees de-stress in different ways, organisations should offer a variety of options. Interest groups, for example, can range from photography to cooking, ensuring that employees not only have access to these activities but also receive social support from like-minded colleagues. This creates an organic, rather than forced, approach.

“It is a pull versus a push. We’re not saying, ‘Hey, we’re holding this one event and everyone needs to come because we need attendance and participation.’ We’re offering different options, and you can pick and choose what resonates the most with you,” Shree said. 

The success of such initiatives can be measured by benchmarking an organisation’s wellbeing index against companies of similar size and scale. Most importantly, the results should be communicated to employees.

“This lets people know that whatever we are doing has an impact and aligns what the business and its people want,” Shree concluded. 

4.  Aligning policies and people 

In Singapore, nearly half employers are hesitant to hire staff with mental health conditions, according to a recent region-wide report. This highlights the disconnect between the national narrative on mental wellbeing vis-a-vis organisational buy-in, a reality Aslam attributes to a lack of progressive HR practices and processes.

“If we want to tackle this disconnect, we have to get out of our comfort zones and say, ‘How are we going to have the right practices and processes to reintegrate these individuals?,” Aslam said. 

According to him, organisations have to seize this opportunity to redesign jobs, be more inclusive of individuals with mental health conditions, and help reintegrate them into the workforce. While this is underway, HR managers have the power to start making a change, from championing workplace adjustments to educating managers. 

“I’m pushing this narrative out there that HR is not for HR,” he declared.

Contrary to popular belief, creating psychological safety is the work of all employees, no matter their rank or role. This approach may be unfamiliar, but it is necessary for organisations to keep up with the times, and for HR to keep an open mind.

“A lot of us in HR deal with things as they show up on our desk. Just like HR leading through COVID-19, we learn on the job,” Yvonne said. 

Missed this session at Mental Health Festival 2024? Watch the replay here.

This leads to the important question, “what is workplace wellbeing?” and how can you as an HR professional foster sustainable work habits to promote it? 

What is workplace wellbeing?

According to OECD’s report, wellbeing refers to “the state of living a good life and having the ability to shape one’s own life.” It is a multifaceted concept and spans across various dimensions of life including career, social, financial, physical and community. 

In recent years, organisations have recognised the importance of employee mental health and started to develop workplace wellbeing strategies. 

However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for wellbeing given its complexity. Just as diet, sleep and exercise are necessary for physical wellbeing, building sustainable habits are essential for employee mental health. 

Why should workplace wellbeing matter?

For employees

• Job satisfaction: Employees who feel valued, supported and are provided with opportunities for growth will be more satisfied and engaged with their work. 
• Reduced stress and anxiety: Employee wellness programmes, work-life balance, and a supportive company culture can contribute to reduced stress and anxiety within the workplace. With this, employees are able to focus on tasks at hand, increasing efficiency and reducing potential burnout.
• Improved physical and mental health: Stress management programmes, access to mental health resources, and development of sustainable work habits can bring about physical and employee mental health benefits. This translates to a healthier and motivated workforce with reduced health costs.

For employers

• Lower absenteeism: With employees feeling supported and engaged at work, they are less likely to miss work due to illness or stress. 
• Improved employee retention: Employees are likely to stay in the company if they are provided with resources and support needed for their career progression. This reduces employee turnover and cost of recruitment, allowing organisations to further invest and develop their existing workforce. 
• Ability to attract top talent: Employers who prioritises workplace wellbeing can significantly enhance their employer brand, which attracts top talents who share the same value.

8 sustainable work habits for workplace wellbeing

Now that we’ve gotten the basics of employee mental health and why it’s important for your organisation, here are eight ways that you can integrate sustainable work habits into your organisation for improved workplace wellbeing: 

1. Work-life balance

As previously mentioned, the biggest impact on employee mental health is the ability to balance work and life commitments. Research has shown that providing support such as flexible or hybrid work arrangements, reduced working hours, and mental health days have positive effects on workplace wellbeing. 

Fostering good work-life balance can encourage a positive work environment, boosting job satisfaction and increasing productivity. Some practical ways to promote work-life balance include: 

• Encouraging employees to take time off from work.
• Setting realistic goals and expectations.
• Promoting team building and bonding activities.

Investing in initiatives such as employee wellness programmes, counseling services and stress management workshops.

2. Professional development

Prioritising employees’ skills development is beneficial for both professional growth and employee mental health. 

An effective way to boost professional development and build a growth mindset is to have regular discussions on career aspirations with employees. Consider offering learning and development programmes, mentorship, and advancement opportunities within your organisation. 

Performance review season is a great opportunity to focus on goal setting to help employees map out their aspirations, and ensure their personal goals align with organisational efforts.

3. Team collaboration

A collaborative team brings about many benefits such as enhancing creativity and innovation, building trust among teams, fostering diverse perspectives, and overcoming the silo mentality.

When you make team collaboration an integral part of your company culture, you can foster open communication within teams and build trust. One of the easiest and effective ways to achieve this is by acknowledging and rewarding collaborative efforts within the organisation to promote a sense of shared purpose. Aside from that, team building workshops or social events are also great alternatives to build camaraderie. 

4. DEI initiatives

It’s been demonstrated time and time again that diverse teams bring about higher rates of innovation, boost employee morale, and create an inclusive work culture. In addition to creating more equitable organisations, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is important for both business outcomes as well as workplace wellbeing. When employees feel valued and respected this directly impacts workplace wellbeing. 

To establish a strong foundation for DEI, focus on your talent pipeline. Review your recruitment process to identify and eliminate unconscious bias in job descriptions, interviews, and resume screening. Partner with diverse recruitment agencies or attend job fairs reaching underrepresented groups. Set clear diversity goals for hiring at all levels, and track your progress to ensure you’re building a representative workforce with comprehensive HR softwares such as Omni. Finally, promote from within with an inclusive lens. Implement transparent promotion criteria, provide equal opportunities for growth to all employees, and utilise diverse interview panels when making promotion decisions. This two-pronged approach will actively cultivate a diverse workforce and ensure a fair shot at advancement for everyone.

5. Leadership

When it comes to workplace wellbeing, there’s no better way than to lead by example. This leadership style drives a productive and healthy work environment with strong emphasis on employee mental health. 

As an employer, establish and maintain healthy work habits such as taking breaks, adhering to business hours when sending messages, and respecting boundaries. Likewise, openly discuss the importance of employee mental health and show that you truly care for their wellbeing through action. Employees who observe such behavior are likely to follow suit and feel at ease doing so. 

6. Feedback mechanisms

Another sustainable work habit for employee mental health is to establish feedback mechanisms. Having regular 1-on-1 meetings between employees and managers encourages both parties to give and receive constructive feedback. Such feedback should focus on career development and aim to offer actionable advice for improvement purposes. 

For company wide feedback, consider implementing anonymous feedback channels for employees to express their concerns and voice their opinions without fear of repercussions and judgment.

7. Performance reviews

Having a clear and objective understanding of current performance can motivate employees to perform better. Employees who feel recognised and valued during performance reviews tend to have higher motivation and engagement, which is a core component of workplace wellbeing. 

As a manager, work together with your team members to set clear, measurable, and achievable goals. Regularly review and adjust goals as needed, while acknowledging and rewarding progress made. When it’s time for performance reviews, use this opportunity to encourage employees to express any career aspirations and provide feedback on strengths and areas of improvement. 

Consider using HR softwares like Omni to design, schedule, and run review cycles, helping you unlock insights and make informed decisions on employee mental health.

8. Mental health resources

Despite progress, mental health still carries a stigma in many workplaces. However, employers have a powerful opportunity to shift the focus and promote workplace wellbeing.

A great example is by encouraging open conversations about employee mental health within the workplace. Provide resources such as employee assistance programmes (EAPs), online mental health resources, wellness apps, mindfulness training programmes and more to empower employees to seek help when needed. 

Beyond EAPs: Building a Culture of Wellbeing with Intellect

Throughout the years, EAPs have evolved drastically, recognising the demand for mental health support in the workplace. 

Although mental wellness integration can be tedious, Intellect, a modern mental health solution, has a roadmap tailored to employee and company needs. Its scope includes providing employees with self-care resources; connecting them with mental health professionals; and measuring the ROI of workplace wellbeing programmes while, of course, keeping their users’ data confidential. As a result, Intellect has a 10 times higher adoption and utilisation rate as compared to other EAPs.

When paired with a comprehensive HRIS such as Omni, HR teams and managers are equipped with the tools they need to build a culture of belonging that is backed by data and streamlined for heightened employee engagement.

Having an overview of how your employees are really feeling at work takes the guesswork out of employee mental health and engagement. With aggregated and anonymised data, you can make more informed decisions about your workplace wellbeing strategy. And if you’re not sure where to begin, our client success managers will partner with you in tailoring growth interventions to your employees’ needs. 

Reach out to us for a demo today.

The answer, according to O.C. Tanner Institute’s 2024 Global Culture Report, is proactive change. Their research found that employees are 11 times more likely to report a positive experience with change when organisations take a people-centered approach and build employee resilience.

In our recent webinar, Intellect Head of Clinical Operations, Salman Haider, and Russell Flint, Director of Business Development APAC of O.C. Tanner, shared strategies for managers to build their team members up.

Redefining resilience

Salman defined resilience as the ability to bounce back and how quickly one can do so in the face of adversity. This is the product of a strengths-, growth-, and future-oriented mindset. In the area of personal wellbeing, Intellect measures resilience based on an individual’s physical health, sleep health, and stress level.

Meanwhile, O.C. Tanner’s study of over 40,000 employees and company leaders—35% of whom are based in Asia Pacific—reveals a slightly different understanding. Apparently, employees associate resilience with strength, tenacity, and grit. 

Though these concepts overlap, traditional ideals of resilience may be outdated as they rely too heavily on an employee’s individual capacity and too little on organisational cultures. Managers are in a unique position to bridge the gap and strike a balance, starting with O.C. Tanner’s strategies below.

How to build employee resilience as a manager

1. Embody the qualities of nimble resilience

Building nimble resilience, Russell emphasised, is the collective responsibility of individuals, leaders, and the organisation. At every level, the following qualities apply:

Adaptability: The ability to anticipate change, adjust, and innovate to reach goals.
Proactiveness: The initiative to seek out areas for improvement and ways to get there.
Perseverance: The perception of setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than a crisis in the way.

O.C. Tanner found the impact of nimble resilience to be tremendous. Employees felt a strong sense of fulfilment, the quality of their work quadrupled, and their desire to stay on in the organisation doubled.

2. Nurture a culture of speaking up

In order for employees to embody the qualities of nimble resilience, managers must ensure that they feel safe enough to speak up. Ideally, an organization would shift away from an autocratic style of leadership and amplify the voices of their employees. However, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and reaching that point begins with the everyday interactions between managers and team members.

Russell recommended:

Challenging in the “right” language

Often, employees remain quiet not because they lack ideas or opinions, but because aren’t confident in expressing themselves constructively and without reprisal. Fearing being labeled as troublemakers, many employees choose to ignore their concerns or resort to platforms like Glassdoor to voice them.

With adequate training, managers can empower team members to challenge ideas or decisions respectfully and appropriately. When they do, it helps to acknowledge that it wasn’t easy. This can be as simple as telling them you’re proud of them for speaking up, said Russell.

Reinventing the monthly check-in

Whether they’re one-on-ones or team huddles, Russell suggests allocating time on the agenda for team members to share how they’re feeling. This doesn’t have to be solemn; you can make it casual and fun. Using the two-word check-in by Dr. Brené Brown, for instance, managers may invite team members to describe their daily challenges using just two words. It’s an excellent way to bring the team closer while collecting informal feedback on everyone’s wellbeing.

3. Recognise good work in tough times

Studies show that informal moments of recognition, like receiving shoutouts in the company chat, can raise feelings of pride and belonging by up to 35%. This number goes up to 130% for formal moments of recognition, like being awarded a certificate for good performance.

Russell shared an anecdote about Wayne Tippet, Executive Claims Manager of Insurance Australia Group (IAG), who helped victims of natural disasters with their insurance claims. In the wake of the earthquake that shook New Zealand in 2023, Wayne’s team received 50,000 claims. Compared to 2022, their workload had quintupled, yet they remained steadfast in assisting the vulnerable.

Amidst the calamity, Wayne recognised his team’s efforts by sending an e-card to his team that said:

“You’re a superstar! …Your willingness to own the challenge and do everything it takes to provide help and support to relieve some of the stress our customers are facing is amazing. It’s moments like these where we showcase that we’re more than just insurance. We are lucky to have you and you’re a valued part of the team.”

To Wayne’s surprise, his inbox was soon flooded with messages of gratitude. Some felt seen and heard by his gesture, saying it’s “much appreciated that (they) have been noticed.” Others reciprocated, saying “a lot of what (they) do is because of the leadership.”

Clearly, words of affirmation are a two-way street. They don’t just validate the work of the team, but also the leadership of their managers. Wayne summed it up best,

“It’s such a powerful thing to do something so simple and easy, which is just to say thanks.”

Intellect’s approach to employee resilience

Resilience isn’t just an end goal; it’s an approach to employee wellbeing in and of itself. Crucially, HR managers have to contextualise this within their organisation’s values, culture, and ecosystem. Salman shared a 3-step framework for HR managers:

1. Evaluate 

Intellect Dimensions (also known as Personal Insights on our app) is an evidence-based tool for organisations to get their workforce’s “vitals”—including resilience—while protecting their anonymity. This proprietary 26-item measurement framework has undergone rigorous validation through Intellect’s clinical study, encompassing a sample size of 1001 working adults in Singapore.

2. Personalise

No two workforces are the same, but having empirical data at your fingertips ensures that your programs are tailored to the needs of your workforce. For example, if your employees are reporting poor sleep health (one of the three components PIQ uses to measure resilience), it may be time to introduce a webinar on sleep hygiene or review work-life balance policies.

3. Monitor and review

After implementation, you can monitor your employees’ resilience scores on our nifty HR dashboard. This allows employers to identify trends (think times of the year where employee wellbeing tends to dip) and adjust their strategies accordingly. 

Across Singapore and Hong Kong, employees who used Intellect’s services reported an increase in next-day resilience. Engagement over 8 consecutive weeks also improved their physical health and stress levels. 

Learn more about how we achieved that here.