Effectiveness of Existing Mental Wellness Resources in Helping SMEs Foster Mentally Healthy Workplaces

9 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how has the Ministry assessed the effectiveness of existing resources, such as the Playbook on Workplace Mental Well-being, the Total Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Programme and iWorkHealth in helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) foster mentally healthy workplaces; (b) whether there are plans to enhance or expand these resources, particularly in addressing SMEs' challenges in implementation; and (c) what further support, including financial incentives, is being considered to encourage more SMEs to adopt workplace mental well-being initiatives.

Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) assesses the effectiveness of our mental well-being resources for companies in various ways. These include tracking the adoption of workplace mental well-being initiatives and employees' reported experience of work stress and burnout from work. We also seek feedback from industry and tripartite partners via the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council's Mental Well-being Committee that was set up to drive adoption of mental well-being practices at workplaces. In 2023, more than 90% of firms surveyed had implemented at least one mental well-being initiative.

As part of the Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being, MOM has worked with the WSH Council and the National Council of Social Services to roll out a wide range of resources that support companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises, in implementing mental well-being support systems at the workplace. Companies can use iWorkHealth, a free online assessment tool, to regularly monitor their employees' state of mental well-being and identify key workplace stressors. The Total WSH Programme provides companies with free access to intervention programmes, such as mental well-being workshops. As of February 2025, more than 28,000 employees have access to the mental well-being workshops under the Total WSH Programme. Companies can also participate in the Well-being Champions Network to exchange best practices and receive subsidised training on mental well-being support at the workplace. The network currently comprises over 700 individuals from 450 organisations, covering a total workforce size of 230,000 employees.

As these programmes have been recently launched, MOM will continue to focus on promoting adoption and monitoring take-up by companies. We will work with relevant stakeholders to regularly review the effectiveness of these programmes and further enhance them as necessary.