Workforce wellbeing

• In Malaysia, 40% of employees have depression, 60% have anxiety, and 30% experience some level of stress. Companies are increasingly providing mental health support for their employees, and Co-founder & CEO of 500-backed digital health platform Naluri, Azran Osman-Rani, says that in order to do so effectively, they should quantify mental health data and establish a mental health baseline for their employees.
• “Today, for many organizations, this is the first time that they see a (quantitative) analysis of the risk of depression, anxiety, and stress in their workforce,” Azran said. This will be the real game-changer in creating a healthier and more productive workforce. 
• He shared that the first step is to help organizations establish the baseline and proactively address the 30 to 40% of employees who are at early risk of depression and anxiety before they worsen into a critical state.
• He added that aggregate data is also crucial for organizations, as it allows them to design more focused intervention programmes.
• With companies typically spending between RM1,200 – RM1,400 (US$250 – US$300) annually per employee on insurance, plus a conservative annual medical cost inflation rate of 10-18%, this expense can escalate significantly.
• According to Azran, it makes sense then to invest in prevention programmes that reduce employee health claims.
• Get more insights from the full story here.