Two-thirds of Singaporean employees suffering from stress: survey

Two-thirds of employees in Singapore suffered from stress at least once a week in 2023, with a significant group saying they experienced it daily, according to a new report.

The report, released by ADP, revealed that 68% of Singaporean employees experience stress at least once a week, higher than the APAC average of 61%.

Among these respondents, 28% said they suffer from stress two to three times a week, while 12% experience it every day.

ADP said this shows that stress remains a persistent issue in the workplace, with 67% saying that it adversely affects their work.

Support dwindling down

Amidst their suffering, however, the findings showed that the support employees have been receiving from their employers and peers is going down.

Only 51% of employees felt their employers' support with mental health at work in 2023, down from the 57% in 2022. And only 54% respondents reported feeling their colleagues' support, down from the 61% a year ago.

In fact, only 23% of the respondents said their employers checked in on them or communicated with them in 2023, down from the 33% in 2022.

Yvonne Teo, Vice President of HR, APAC, ADP, said employers were much more aware and support of measures to alleviate mental health and stress during the pandemic and the immediate years after.

"However, as the pandemic fades and businesses shift their focus back to growth, these support systems have waned. Yet, workers remain under a tremendous amount of strain," Teo said in a media release.

Evidence of decline in wellness support

This declining support is evident in the initiatives offered by employers to promote mental health in 2023.

Measures such as stress management breaks were offered less in 2023, with only 27% of the respondents saying it was offered, down from the 30% in 2022.

There were also less wellbeing days off offered in 2023, with only 26% of respondents saying they were offered the benefit, down from the 31% in 2022.

But the findings indicate that more employers were reliant on team building activities and employee assistance programmes to promote mental health.

In 2023, 27% of employers implemented team building/bonding activities, up from 24% a year prior. There were also 22% of employers offering employee assistance programmes in 2023, up from the 17% in 2022.

Teo said these suggest that employers are "rationalising or formalising" their wellbeing support arrangements.

"However, companies also need to embed support into day-to-day working practices and create an environment where staff feel supported and comfortable expressing their concerns," she stated.

Helping out managers to support mental health

Fostering a caring workplace culture is important for both employers and staff as they are more likely to do a better job, need less days, and feel more positive about their company, according to Teo.

But some 48% of the respondents said they don't think their managers or colleagues can talk about mental health at work without judgement.

Teo underscored that managers who open communication and regular check-ins with staff will ensure a caring workplace culture.

"It is therefore important to educate and train managers to recognise signs of stress and take prompt action such as offering support resources or referring staff to other support programmes or structures," she said.

The ADP® Research Institute's People at Work 2023: A Global Workforce View surveyed over 32,000 employees in 17 countries, including Singapore.