THE COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the mental health of Malaysian workforce, which could lead to a serious problem for the economy.
Speaking to FocusM, the Malaysian Mental Health Association president Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj said many are suffering from work-related stress due to uncertainty, which results in both physical and psychological damage.
“The stress could lead to issues such as anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. A negative work environment could also lead to these problems, which results in productivity being affected.
“Therefore, it’s important for employers to create a healthy working environment for staff, especially during the pandemic,” he said.
Mohanraj said employers should take mental health issues seriously as even before the arrival of COVID-19, many Malaysian workers were already having mental health issues due to various reasons.
Citing a research by Relate Malaysia, an organisation dedicated to raising awareness on mental health issues, he said that Malaysia lost RM14.46 bil in productivity back in 2018, due to mental health issues suffered by the workers.
“The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry projected that Malaysia would lose RM104.7 bil by 2030 due to economic burden, coming from all categories of mental disabilities,” he said.
On a global scale, Mohanraj said depression is now a leading cause of disability among working adult, projected to surpass cardiovascular diseases soon.
“Depression and anxiety have a significant economic impact. The estimated cost to the world, in terms of productivity, is at US$1 tri annually,” he said.
On what is causing mental health issues among employees now, Mohanraj said a majority of them are concerned about a loss of income, job instability and relationship problems caused by the movement control order (MCO).
He added that even those who managed to keep their jobs are upset about being underemployed and having had to take a pay cut.
“Some of these employees are relapsing to their previous mental health condition during this difficult times,” said Mohanraj.
The seasoned psychiatrist also said there is another problem facing these employees, which is fear of being discriminated.
“Mental health issues at workplace may not be obvious as employees are guarded about it, fearing stigma and discrimination,” said Mohanraj.
Staff need support from companies, gov’t
On how employers can help their staff, Mohanraj said companies should provide all the necessary support for their employees, especially during COVID-19.
He added that companies should provide extra safety measures to its staff to protect them from the transmission of the novel coronavirus.
“As the new norm involves working from home, managers should continue connecting with their staff as working from home can take a toll on one’s mental health too.
“Modern technology allows emulation of the work environment at home, albeit some limitations,” he said.
Mohanraj added that attention to certain routine and appearances help workers to cope with the new norms associated with the pandemic.
“Ultimately, it’s important to create a suitable work space at home, used exclusively for work, to prevent boundaries between office and household chores being blurred,” he said.
In the long run, Mohanraj said companies should be supportive of their staff members seeking professional help to deal with mental health issues.
One measure which could help, he said, was for companies to include mental health support in their panel clinic coverage.
“Right now, employees seek private mental health care using money from their own pockets,” said Mohanraj.
He added that companies could also reach out to his association, via the Mental Health First Aid programme, to help them understand and deal with mental health issues at workplace.
“We also help managers to recognise signs of psychological distress among employees,” said Mohanraj.
As for the government, Mohanraj urged the former to come up with legislations to prevent discrimination against job applicants and staff who suffer from treatable mental health condition.
“The government should also encourage insurance companies to provide extensive coverage for those with mental health condition,” he said. – Nov 2, 2020
