Psychosocial risks among workers are cause for concern: Niosh - New Straits Times Online
New Straits Times Online, 16 August 2015
KUCHING: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) has raised its concern over psychosocial risks among workers, which has been identified as one of the five categories of health hazards in a workplace.
Its chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye reminded all organisations from ignoring work-related stress since all workplace are vulnerable to any health hazards especially mental disorders.
If the issues was not address or rectify, Lee warned that the problem would negatively impact employee’s performance, which later, could contribute to high turnover and poorer output for an organisation.
“Although many factors contribute to workers’ mental health and well-being, there is increasing evidence that the workplace environment makes a significant contribution.
“All organisations need to consider work-related stress and psychosocial risks as part their safety and health strategy to reduce accidents and injuries at the workplace.
“Employers should be responsible for implementing plans to prevent or reduce psychosocial risks, enabling their employees to play their part and help create a healthy psychosocial work environment,” said Lee, in a statement today.
Lee said workplace issues are one of the major contributors of depression among employee since workers spend one-third of their day at the office. The issues, Lee pointed out, however, was often being overlooked especially by employers.
“Employees may not recognise the symptoms, especially if they are suffering from a mild form of depression such as burnout and dysthymia. The impact of mental health problems on the workers, their families and society as a whole, is immense and needs to be addressed,” said Lee.
With the detrimental effect of psychosocial risk, Lee has made it essential for any organisations to promote and foster healthy and good working environment, which requires a combine efforts from all stakeholders including the employer, employee as well as the government.
“The concept of workplace health promotion (WHP) is becoming increasingly relevant as more private and public organizations recognise that future success in a globalising marketplace can only be achieved with a healthy, qualified and motivated workforce.
“The implementation of WHP can ensure a flexible and dynamic balance between customer expectations and organizational targets. For nations, the development of WHP will be a pre-requisite for sustainable social and economic development,” he said.
