Studies on Direct Correlation Between Employee Wellness and Productivity in Workplace
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui’s inquiry on the correlation between employee wellness and productivity and government initiatives measuring wellness impacts from workplace transformation. Minister Tan See Leng noted that international studies show a positive correlation, while Ministry of Manpower data from the iWorkHealth tool validates this link. Findings show that employees experiencing burnout take 1.25 to 1.5 additional days of medical leave and encounter accidents or near-misses over two times more often. Minister Tan See Leng urged employers to design work processes with physical and mental health in mind and utilize the iWorkHealth tool to address stressors. Additionally, the Workplace Safety and Health Council is available to support companies seeking to measure the impact of workplace transformation on the well-being of their employees.
Transcript
54 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether there have been studies conducted by the Government on the direct correlation between employee wellness and productivity in the workplace; and (b) whether there are any initiatives in place to measure the impact on employee wellness resulting from workplace transformation.
Dr Tan See Leng: International studies have shown that there is a positive relationship between well-being and productivity. Since 2021, the Ministry of Manpower has been collecting data on mental well-being at the workplace via the iWorkHealth tool. The iWorkHealth tool is a self-administered psychosocial health assessment tool for companies and their employees to identify common workplace stressors. Based on responses from about 16,000 employees, we found that employees who experienced work stress or burnout (i) took about an additional 1.25 to 1.5 days of medical leave per year and (ii) encountered accidents or near-miss incidents about two to 2.5 times more, compared to employees who did not. In other words, when employers take care of employee well-being, they can expect to see lower absenteeism and fewer accidents.
As businesses and jobs transform, employers should design work processes and workplaces with the physical and mental health and safety of their employees in mind. We urge employers to tap on the iWorkHealth as one of the tools to address workplace stressors in the company. The Workplace Safety and Health Council is open to supporting companies that are interested in measuring the impact on employee well-being resulting from workplace transformation.