About 67% of Malaysian employees experienced burnout in 2024, up from 58% in 2022, highlighting concerns over workplace mental health, says Lee Lam Thye.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian employers risk losing productivity by overlooking employees who turn up for work but struggle to function effectively due to stress, anxiety and burnout, says Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
Calling for mental health to be treated as a workplace safety priority, Lee said organisations must look beyond absenteeism and address presenteeism, where employees are physically at work but mentally unable to perform at their best.
“Presenteeism quietly drains productivity and impacts our national growth. If we ignore mental health, we are not only failing our people, we are failing our economy,” he said in his keynote address at the Mental Health at Workplace Conference: People First, Performance Follows, recently.
Citing Employment Hero’s Wellness at Work Report 2024, Lee said 67% of Malaysian employees experienced burnout in 2024, compared with 58% in 2022.
He said the figures underscored the need for employers to recognise excessive workloads, workplace bullying and harassment as psychosocial hazards rather than dismissing them as ordinary workplace pressures.
“A workplace cannot be called ‘safe’ if an employee is suffering from burnout due to unrealistic workloads. It is not safe if an employee is subjected to workplace bullying or harassment,” he said.
Lee said unmanaged mental health problems could affect concentration, motivation and decision-making, increasing the likelihood of errors while contributing to absenteeism, frequent illness and staff turnover.
He added that the consequences extended beyond individual employees, affecting teamwork, organisational efficiency and overall business performance.
To address the problem, Lee urged employers to incorporate psychosocial risk management into their occupational safety and health strategies, alongside measures to prevent physical workplace hazards.
“Section 18B of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 requires employers to conduct risk assessments and eliminate or reduce identified risks, including those related to psychosocial hazards.
“Employers could also use the Psychosocial Risk Assessment and Management at the Workplace (PRiSMA) 2024 guidelines to assess and manage risks,” he added.
Lee called on organisations to provide access to counselling, train managers to identify early signs of psychological distress and establish clear protections against workplace harassment.
He also stressed the importance of reasonable workloads and flexible working arrangements, saying employees needed sufficient time to rest, spend time with their families and pursue personal activities.
“Work-life balance is not a luxury – it is a necessity. It helps reduce stress, prevents burnout, and improves overall job satisfaction and employee retention,” he said.
Lee further urged organisations to place employee well-being at the centre of their environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments, arguing that business sustainability should not be measured solely through financial performance.
“Employees are not just resources; they are the social capital. True sustainability must include human sustainability,” he said.
He also called for mental health literacy to be strengthened in schools and universities to prepare young people for workplace challenges.
Lee said creating mentally healthy workplaces required a collective effort, with employers responsible for providing a supportive environment and employees encouraged to seek help when needed and show empathy towards colleagues.