Singapore scores above regional average in promoting staff wellbeing: Study

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s labor force has emerged as a frontrunner in fostering work engagement, employee wellbeing, and organizational support, surpassing its Asia-Pacific (APAC) counterparts, according to a comprehensive study by mental healthcare firm Intellect.

In a detailed analysis of wellbeing programs’ effectiveness at the workplace, the report disclosed that Singaporean employees achieved a remarkable 64% in organizational health, slightly edging past the regional average of 63%.

Notably, this places Singapore fifth among the 12 APAC countries scrutinized.

The top-performing nations in the region for workplace wellbeing were Vietnam (65.1%), Thailand (65%), and the Philippines (64.4%). Conversely, Taiwan, Province of China (58.7%) and Korea (58.1%) found themselves at the lower end of the rankings.

Singapore’s prowess extended to employee productivity, where it scored 76.07%, just above the regional average of 76%. This secured the nation the sixth position in APAC, with Japan leading the pack at 77.5%.

Delving into specific industries, Singapore demonstrated strong performance in education, healthcare, government work, and non-profit organizations. These sectors exhibited elevated organizational health and employee productivity levels.

Of particular concern highlighted by Intellect was the prevalence of presenteeism in industries with lower organizational health scores, notably within the booming e-commerce and online services sector. Presenteeism, defined as reduced productivity due to employees not functioning at their optimal levels, emerged as a significant challenge across the region.

Theodoric Chew, co-founder and CEO of Intellect, emphasized the urgency for employers to implement targeted interventions and proactive measures to address presenteeism.

The findings underscore the need for a collective effort to enhance workplace wellbeing and foster a conducive environment for employee engagement in the APAC region.