NIOSH's Lee moots employee assistance programme at workplaces

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 (Bernama) --  An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) should be introduced at workplaces to help provide both prevention and early intervention for employees affected by stress as well as emotional and mental health issues.

In making the suggestion, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said without the EAP, employees with such conditions could not be identified and assisted, and thus jeopardising their job performance.

At the same time, he said mental health education and promotion must also be increased at workplaces as it could help address the rise of psychosocial problems in society.

“It is most essential in view of our aspiration to achieve a developed nation status which obviously will exert tremendous pressure to deal with our daily responsibilities,” he said at the 34th Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organisation (APOSHO 34) conference and annual general meeting in Guiyang, China, today.

A statement issued by NIOSH here highlighted the points that he raised in his keynote paper titled 'Managing Mental Health Issues at the Workplace - NIOSH Malaysia's Approach'.

 According to Lee, all stakeholders must treat mental health like any other health concerns today.

“Whether it's increasing or decreasing, it's worth our attention for every person to get the care they need including at workplaces,” he said.

He noted that no workplace was immune to mental health issues and their impact on psychological, social and economic terms was high.

Lee further said that Malaysia would also highlight mental health issues at the 35th APOSHO conference in Kuala Lumpur next year.

-- BERNAMA