Workplaces Not Safe If Employees Face Burnout, Harassment - Lee Lam Thye

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) -- Workplaces cannot be considered safe if employees are suffering from burnout due to unrealistic workloads or are subjected to bullying and harassment, according to Mental Health Advisory Council member Lee Lam Thye.

He said the Employment Hero’s Wellness at Work Report for 2024 and 2022 showed an alarming burnout rate among Malaysian employees, with 67 per cent of workers experiencing burnout in 2024, a significant jump from 58 per cent in 2022. 

“These are not 'soft issues’. These are psychosocial risks - and they are just as dangerous as a slippery floor or faulty machinery. In fact, their impact can be even more devastating because they affect the mind.

“Just as we recognise the importance of physical health in ensuring that employees are able to perform their duties safely and effectively, we must now acknowledge that mental health is equally - if not more - critical in shaping productivity, decision-making, relationships, and overall organisational success,” he said in a statement today.

He said that mental health also underpins physical health, with chronic stress closely linked to serious conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, weakened immunity and sleep disorders.

Lee said that while productivity is often measured through absenteeism, or employees not coming to work, a more dangerous issue is presenteeism, where employees are physically present but mentally absent.

“They sit at their desks, but their minds are burdened by stress, anxiety, or depression. They cannot focus. They cannot perform. And sometimes they make critical mistakes. 

“This is not just a human issue; it is an economic issue. 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 stressed.

He said employers must recognise that creating a safe and supportive psychosocial work environment is a responsibility, not an option.

This includes promoting open conversations on mental health without stigma or discrimination; providing access to mental health resources, counselling, and employee assistance programmes; training managers to recognise early signs of mental distress and respond with empathy; ensuring reasonable workloads, work-life balance, and fair treatment at all levels; and establishing clear policies to address workplace bullying, harassment, and toxic cultures.

Lee also called on the government to recognise psychosocial risks within the national occupational safety and health (OSH) framework, with policies that treat psychological safety as seriously as physical safety.

“The reality we can no longer ignore today is that we do not just bring our skills to work, we bring our whole selves, including our anxieties, our depressions, and our psychological burdens. Breaking the silence on mental health is not just a trend; it is a modern workplace necessity.

“No one should have to suffer in silence. It is time we acknowledge that mental health matters—at every workplace, at every level, and for every individual,” he added.

-- BERNAMA