Mental wellbeing in the workplace continues to be a critical issue. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in Singapore has outlined its ongoing efforts to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in creating mentally healthy work environments.
In a recent Parliamentary update on 10 March 2025, MOM provided insights into its approach to improving mental wellbeing at work, highlighting the measures used to evaluate the success of various initiatives aimed at SMEs.
Tracking Workplace Mental Wellbeing
The ministry monitors the effectiveness of mental wellbeing strategies by tracking company participation, employee experiences related to stress and burnout, and feedback from industry partners such as the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council’s Mental Well-being Committee. According to a 2023 survey, over 90% of firms reported having implemented at least one mental wellbeing initiative.
Supporting SMEs with Accessible Resources
Recognizing the challenges SMEs face in rolling out mental health programs, MOM has partnered with the WSH Council and the National Council of Social Services to provide accessible resources for companies. These include:
iWorkHealth: A free online tool that enables companies to assess employees’ mental well-being and identify workplace stressors.
Total Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Programme: Offers free access to mental wellbeing intervention programs. By February 2025, more than 28,000 employees had participated in these sessions.
Wellbeing Champions Network: A platform that facilitates the sharing of best practices and offers subsidized mental health training. The network currently includes over 700 members from 450 organizations, representing a workforce of 230,000 employees.
The Road Ahead for Workplace Mental Wellbeing
While these programs are relatively new, MOM remains focused on encouraging wider adoption and evaluating their effectiveness. The ministry is also exploring the possibility of introducing financial incentives to further encourage SMEs to embrace mental wellbeing strategies.
MOM emphasized that it would continue working closely with its stakeholders to regularly assess and enhance these initiatives as needed, ensuring their ongoing impact on improving workplace mental health.
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