Singaporean employees excel with 64% Organisational Health Score, ranking fifth in APAC

A recent report spanning across the region has identified the Singaporean workforce as among the leading performers in Organisational Health within the APAC region. This category evaluates factors such as work engagement, employee wellbeing, and organisational support. 

Among the 10 industries surveyed, local employees in sectors including Healthcare and Pharmaceutical, Government and Non-profit, and Education, reported the highest scores in Organisational Health. 

The "Workplace Wellbeing in 10 APAC Industries: Intellect Dimensions Benchmarking Report 2024," conducted by Intellect, a mental health care company in the region, surveyed 50,000 users throughout Asia Pacific in 2023. 

The findings revealed that Singaporean employees achieved a notable Organisational Health score of 64%, surpassing the regional average of 62.9%. This positioned Singapore fifth among all 12 countries surveyed. 

The primary objective of the report is to empower organisations to gauge the efficacy of their wellbeing initiatives and to assess their performance in nurturing workplace wellbeing across various industries. This evaluation is based on respondents' feedback regarding Intellect Dimensions. 

As outlined in the report, smaller Southeast Asian markets such as Vietnam (65.1%), Thailand (65.0%), and the Philippines (64.4%) exhibited the highest Organisational Health scores within the region. Conversely, larger markets like Taiwan, Province of China (58.7%), and Korea (58.1%) reported comparatively lower Organisational Health scores. 

These findings suggest a pressing need for increased mental health support within workplaces across these respective markets. The latest report reveals a noteworthy trend where traditionally scrutinised sectors, namely Healthcare and Pharmaceutical, Government and Non-profit, and Education, are leading the charge in terms of Organisational Health. 

Despite the historical association of these industries with high stress levels and burnout, the report's findings indicate a positive transformation. This shift is attributed to employers proactively adopting preventive and reactive measures to prioritise the wellbeing of their workforce. 

Through a comprehensive analysis of workplace wellbeing, the report delves into the metrics of Organisational Health and Employee Productivity. This approach provides a holistic perspective on workplace wellbeing and its direct influence on the bottom line across the ten industries examined. 

The Healthcare and Pharmaceutical sector emerged as a frontrunner with an overall Organisational Health Score of 67.5%. Notably, employees within this sector displayed a strong sense of purpose (73.8%) and optimism (70.3%), indicating high levels of intrinsic motivation. 

Similarly, Government and Non-profit sectors showcased robust employee wellbeing (68%) and work engagement (67.4%). While Singapore's Healthcare and Pharmaceutical (66.0%) and Education (65.5%) sectors exhibited slightly lower Organisational Health scores compared to the industry average, there exists an opportunity for enhancing mental health support within these domains to align better with regional benchmarks. 

Despite this, the Education sector demonstrated strengths in Work-Life Balance (63.9%) and Relationship Building (75.3%), showcasing areas of excellence within the industry. Enhancing workplace performance hinges significantly on addressing presenteeism, a phenomenon wherein employees are physically present but not fully functional. 

This aspect of lost productivity imposes substantial costs on companies annually, with presenteeism exerting a more pronounced impact on productivity compared to absenteeism. The report highlights the imperative for employers to actively combat presenteeism through targeted interventions, aiming to bolster employee productivity and alleviate its financial ramifications.

Notably, industries falling below the industry benchmarks for Organizational Health scores, such as E-commerce and Online Services, reported heightened levels of presenteeism. Despite industries like E-commerce and Online Services in the Philippines showcasing commendable Employee Productivity scores, when juxtaposed against the overarching industry benchmark, they marginally trail behind. 

This underscores the significance of addressing presenteeism across sectors to optimise workplace performance. Theodoric Chew, Co-founder & CEO of Intellect, emphasized the urgency for employers to implement tailored interventions and proactive measures in response to the widespread prevalence of presenteeism. 

He highlighted the unique contribution of the report, derived from primary insights gathered from 50,000 users, in comprehensively understanding the impact of employee wellbeing programs across industries. With this robust dataset, employers and human resources professionals gain unprecedented access to insights, empowering them to formulate strategic, data-driven recommendations aimed at driving tangible benefits for organisations.