Many Southeast Asian workers face mental health problems

Many workers who seek mental health support are not looking for hospital treatment or medication. They are dealing with workplace stress, anxiety and emotional exhaustion, and need guidance, counseling or resilience training instead.

Azran Osman-Rani, chief executive of digital health company Naluri, said relationships with supervisors rank among the biggest factors affecting employees’ mental well-being. A manager’s communication style, instructions and approach to running a team can have a major effect on workers, he said, although supervisors are not the only source of pressure.

Naluri currently provides health services to 1 million workers in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. Nearly half of those workers are in Malaysia. Azran said mental health remains the issue that attracts the most attention among employees seeking help.

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The issue receiving the most attention still revolves around mental health. However, most workers who seek help have not actually reached a point where they need hospital treatment or medication.

Younger workers, particularly members of Generation Z entering the workforce, face additional pressure from moderate starting salaries, rising living costs and debt commitments. They are also adjusting to new workplace cultures. Some struggle to find their footing or feel they receive too little guidance from managers and supervisors.

Managers themselves can feel trapped between demanding targets from senior leadership and employees who need support and direction. Azran said the pressure becomes harder when managers also carry responsibilities as children and parents in their families. The combination of workplace demands and obligations at home can add to the strain.

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Instead, they face stress, anxiety and emotional exhaustion stemming from workplace challenges, requiring guidance, counseling sessions or training to build resilience in dealing with daily pressures.