THE BUSINESS COSTS OF WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH

In the past decade, the number of Malaysians experiencing poor mental health (low mood, worry, feelings of tension and stress) has tripled from 10.7% in 1996 to 29.2% in 2015. It is conservatively estimated that the total cost of poor mental health to organisations incurred through absenteeism, presenteeism and staff turnover is RM14.46bn, or RM946 per employee in 2018. Investing in effective psychological interventions in the workplace will reduce the cost significantly. Thus, organisations can take steps to create a mentally healthy workplace by raising mental health awareness, implementing workplace interventions, reviewing and revising organisational practices, and engaging EAP services for employees.