SINGAPORE \u2013\u00a0A new handbook to help employers better support their staff\u2019s mental health has been launched by the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
The recommendations in the handbook cover\u00a0topics such as\u00a0how to nurture a positive culture for workplace mental health, how to set up workplace support systems, and how to help employees recovering from mental health conditions return to work with confidence. <\/p>\n
The 40-page document also features case studies from local organisations, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), on how they have implemented measures that support mental health at the workplace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The handbook\u2019s recommendations are voluntary and flexible, and companies can adopt the practices based on their specific needs and implementation flexibility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They were developed by a tripartite workgroup under the WSH Council\u2019s Mental Well-being Committee following extensive consultation with unions, human resources practitioners and social service agencies.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The handbook was launched\u00a0on Oct 13\u00a0at the Well-being Champions Network\u2019s engagement session, where companies came together to discuss mental health matters at the A*Star Infuse office at Connexis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Shawn Huang, who was guest of honour at the event, said that according to the Ministry of Health\u2019s National Population Health Surveys, the prevalence of poor mental health\u00a0has been broadly rising \u2013 from 12.5 per cent of the adult population to 15 per cent in 2023. <\/p>\n
Mr Huang pointed out that Singapore has come far from a time\u00a0when\u00a0mental health care meant patients needed to be in a custodial setting where they are institutionalised and cared for. Instead,\u00a0individuals with mental health conditions can\u00a0now\u00a0be empowered to live independently and contribute meaningfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Part of the empowerment is helping them to continue to contribute at work, and many employers have asked how they can do their part to support employees. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a need to fill the gap in terms of knowledge and resources \u2013 to support those who are at risk of, or recovering from, mental health conditions,\u201d said Mr Huang. <\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThe handbook combines insights from mental health professionals, community groups and employers, offering practical ways to create supportive policies, start meaningful conversations and make reasonable accommodations for those returning to work.\u201d <\/p>\n
Wee Chwee Huat Scaffolding & Construction, an SME in the construction industry, was featured in the handbook as a case study. The company, where 75 per cent of the workforce is\u00a0made up of\u00a0migrant workers, places a heavy emphasis on its employees\u2019 mental health because of the need to retain talent and ensure safety in the workplace. <\/p>\n
This is because it takes up to two years to train a worker to be experienced in his line of work, which involves\u00a0scaffolding, said the company\u2019s operations manager, Mr V. Manimaran.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wee Chwee Huat holds bimonthly meeting sessions where supervisors will engage migrant workers in a group setting and discuss issues affecting them, even\u00a0those who are outside of the workplace.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Migrant workers often face family issues as they are far from home, and the company has allowed staff to take last-minute paid leave, or even extended unpaid leave, to fly back to their home country, if necessary. <\/p>\n
To manage the manpower shortfall\u00a0during such periods,\u00a0Mr Manimaran said, teammates will step in to cover shifts,\u00a0while\u00a0he will ensure that the workload is redistributed over several days.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEmployees who know their organisation values their\u00a0well-being\u00a0are more likely to stay, to grow with the company, and to contribute meaningfully in a sector where manpower stability is a challenge. This becomes a significant competitive advantage,\u201d said Mr Manimaran.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The handbook also includes a section on frequently asked questions, addressing situations such as how to manage employees with a long leave of absence for mental health, how to approach an employee who might have engaged in self-harm, and how to handle staff who cause poor mental health among co-workers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Employers who need more help putting the recommendations in the handbook into practice can attend Beyond the Label Collective\u2019s Return to Work workshop, which is developed and conducted by the National University of Singapore. <\/p>\n
The two sessions held in 2025 have equipped 42 human resources professionals with tools to support employees transitioning back to work after mental health-related absences.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
More than 87 per cent of participants indicated that the workshops provided practical tools to translate policies into action, with 63 per cent expressing their intent to establish structured return-to-work systems within their organisations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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