World Mental Health Day 2021: Hong Kong companies put more emphasis on staff well-being amid the coronavirus pandemic
- Companies concerned about employee mental health have enhanced their programmes, with more senior leaders willing to be role models for healthy behaviour
- One has encouraged staff to consult an in-house psychologist, another has added office day beds for naps and a meditation room. But more needs doing
If there is a silver lining to the coronavirus pandemic, it is that we are more open about discussing mental health – not just in our personal lives but in the workplace, too.
This is reflected in a survey to be released on October 10, World Mental Health Day, that shows the global health crisis to be a key driver in accelerating progress on employee well-being initiatives.
“The pandemic has made people pause and think about mental health more intensively and also put mental health more on the agenda, especially among senior management,” says corporate lawyer Gilbert Li, a partner at Linklaters, which was among the 18 firms that took part in City Mental Health Alliance Hong Kong’s (CMHAHK) Thriving at Work Assessment Survey.
The not-for-profit membership organisation’s survey gives companies a chance to measure their progress on workplace mental health. It found a 40 per cent increase from 2020 in the number of moves to introduce flexible work arrangements, boost mental health awareness and address unhealthy workplace risks.
It’s like doing a workshop on healthy eating but the staff kitchen is full of sugar – you are pitching this message but not walking the walk
What’s more, there were 2.5 times the number of initiatives encouraging senior leaders to become role models for healthy behaviour.