Worker Well-being in Singapore Remains Fraught

Despite incremental improvements over the last six months, 36% of employees in Singapore are at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges.

By Maggie Mancini

Despite incremental improvement, worker mental health in Singapore remains strained, according to recent research from TELUS Health. At 62.6, the mental health of workers has improved from October 2023. Still, 36% of workers have a high risk of mental health concerns, 46% have a moderate risk of mental health concerns, and 18% have a low risk of mental health concerns.  

While the mental health of managers has declined since October, the mental health of individual contributors has improved. Labourers have a lower mental health score than service industry or office workers.  

One in 10 Singaporean employees do not feel valued by their colleagues, and workers who aren’t valued and respected by colleagues are 60% more likely to report that mental health adversely impacts their productivity at work. Nearly half (49%) perceive that rewards and recognition are unfair and biased in their company.  

While 40% of employees view their company’s culture around health favourably, 16% have negative perceptions. Nearly half (45%) 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.  

More than half (55%) do not have trusted workplace relationships, and these workers are more than four times as likely to report feeling isolated than those with positive workplace relationships. More than half (52%) do not have trusted personal relationships, leaving them six times as likely to report feeling isolated. Workers under 40 are 80% more likely than those over 50 to lack trusted personal relationships and 50% more likely to lack trusted workplace relationships.  

The lowest mental health sub-score, according to TELUS, is anxiety (54.9). Work productivity (55.1), isolation (56.7), depression (57.7), optimism (65.6), and financial risk (69.9) follow. Psychological health (72.7) is the most favourable mental health measure in Singapore as of January.  

Since the launch of the Mental Health Index, women have had lower mental health scores than men. In January, the score for women is 62.4 compared to 62.8 for men. These scores tend to improve with age.