Nearly half of Singaporean companies reluctant to hire employees with mental health conditions: ASEAN report

As the world marks World Mental Health Day, conversations around workplace wellbeing are more relevant than ever. The past few years have tested the resilience of employees globally, and nowhere is this more evident than in the diverse industries of the ASEAN region. Despite growing awareness of mental health, significant gaps remain, particularly in inclusive hiring and comprehensive support for employees facing mental health challenges.

A newly released report from Intellect, the ASEAN Workplace Wellbeing 2024 Private Sector Report, surveyed 585 HR professionals across Southeast Asia. The report sheds light on critical issues surrounding mental health resources, employer attitudes, and gaps in organisational policies. With the private sector playing a vital role in shaping workplace wellbeing, the report provides valuable insights into the challenges and progress made by companies in the region.

Mental health resource engagement and gaps across ASEAN

The findings reveal a stark contrast between policy and practice when it comes to hiring individuals with mental health conditions. 45% of Singaporean employers expressed hesitancy in hiring individuals with mental health challenges, despite the country claiming the highest rate of inclusive hiring policies (89%).

In contrast, other ASEAN countries such as Vietnam (86%), Thailand (87%), and the Philippines (65%) are leading the region in actively hiring individuals with mental health conditions. These markets demonstrate a more progressive attitude towards inclusive hiring, illustrating how cultural and structural differences influence workplace practices. Singapore, while strong in policy adoption, faces a gap in the actual implementation of these policies.

The report further highlights that the reluctance to hire in Singapore may be tied to limited mental health awareness (24%) and negative attitudes among employees (10%), with some companies citing concerns over accommodating flexible working conditions (5%) as a challenge. This gap between policy and practice reveals a critical area where Singaporean employers can focus their efforts to better integrate mental health support into their hiring processes.

While many organisations across ASEAN have made efforts to communicate mental health resources to employees, the report finds that actual engagement with these resources remains low. Although 93% of companies in the region report communicating available mental health programmes, only 47% of employees actively engage with them. This low engagement rate points to the need for more effective communication and a reduction in the stigma surrounding mental health care.

In Singapore, this challenge is even more pronounced. Although companies report high levels of communication about mental health services (93%), less than 5% of employees actively use these services. This is well below the regional average and suggests that more needs to be done to encourage employees to seek help without fear of judgement. Furthermore, only 15% of HR professionals in Singapore believe that their companies offer sufficient mental health resources, highlighting the need for more comprehensive and accessible solutions.

Countries such as Thailand outperform in providing a broader range of mental health support, with 23% of employees in Thailand having access to comprehensive programmes, which include helplines, digital mental health tools, and access to mental health personnel.

ASEAN-wide shifts towards mental health prioritisation

Despite the challenges, the report does identify a positive shift in how organisations across ASEAN are beginning to manage mental health beyond simply providing resources. There is a growing emphasis on mental health literacy and inclusion in workplace practices. 65% of companies in the region have introduced mental health literacy programmes for their employees, and 56% have begun training managers on mental health issues. These efforts represent a move towards more strategic and integrated mental health initiatives aimed at fostering supportive environments for all employees.

However, gaps remain in ensuring that these initiatives are effective and widespread. Only 34% of organisations across ASEAN offer crisis support, which is a key service in addressing immediate and severe mental health concerns. The report also finds that corporate communication around mental health can often feel top-down and not sufficiently engaging, resulting in low employee participation.

Addressing the gaps: What employers can do

The ASEAN Workplace Wellbeing 2024 Report outlines several recommendations for employers across the region to bridge the gap between mental health policy and practice:

1. Normalise mental health conversations: Creating a culture where mental health discussions are part of everyday workplace dialogue can help reduce stigma. This includes providing mental health literacy programmes that train all levels of staff, from entry-level employees to senior management, on how to talk about mental health openly and without judgement.

2. Invest in comprehensive resources: While many organisations provide some form of mental health support, only 15% of Singaporean HR professionals feel their resources are adequate. Expanding access to mental health services, such as crisis helplines, digital mental health tools, and in-house mental health personnel, can help meet the needs of employees more effectively.

3. Encourage engagement through tailored approaches: With employee engagement in mental health services low, companies need to find ways to better promote these services. Offering more personalised support and reducing stigma through consistent, empathetic communication may help increase usage.

4. Strengthen leadership training: Empowering managers to handle mental health issues within their teams is critical to creating a supportive work environment. 64% of organisations in the ASEAN region have begun training their leaders in mental health literacy, but incorporating mental health and wellbeing into performance evaluations could further incentivise managers to prioritise the mental health of their teams.