Corporate mental health has emerged as a critical priority for UAE companies in recent years, particularly following the impact of the pandemic. According to Harvard Business School, employers are starting to face the challenges of frequent mental wellbeing at work, developing the need to overcome stigma, diversity matters, and equity.
According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) Lockdown on Mental Health and Well-Being in the United Arab Emirates, which surveyed 4,426 participants, findings indicated that over 36 per cent reported increased stress from work, home, and financial matters. Meanwhile, anxiety and depression in UAE are the top 10 causes of ill health, according to a report published by the Ministry of Health and Prevention – UAE (MOHAP).
While the traditional corporate landscape focused primarily on economics and productivity, often neglecting the mental health needs of employees, the pandemic acted as a wake-up call, highlighting the necessity of addressing mental health challenges at work. It also brought acceptance for working from your comfort zone, and flexible and hybrid work proved to improve productivity and deliver better results against the 9-to-5 workweek concept. Understanding this paradigm shift and creating policies to suit the well-being of employees has become an inevitable part of leadership today. At the same time, the pandemic forced employees to reassess their work-life balance, leading to increased concerns about mental health.
Knowing the need to create awareness and a top-down approach to corporate well-being Harvard Business School (HBS) Club of the GCC has taken a proactive approach to promoting mental health within the corporate sector under its Athar initiative. The recent edition of the Majlis event under the HBS GCC Club addressed issues such as space, organisational culture, and leadership care in laying the foundation for high-performing work cultures built upon mental wellness.
The HBS GCC Club’s call for increased mental health investments resonated with business leaders and professionals at their Majlis event.
Speaking at the event, Saleh Lootah, President of the HBS Club of the GCC, reminded the participants and HBS Alumni gathered at the event that corporations must take Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s lessons from the pandemic, that health, not politics or economics, was the key driver for society. “Recognising that organisational well-being is linked to a thriving economy and the UAE’s future, organisations need to prioritise mental health initiatives. We need to focus on breaking down barriers and encourage companies to invest in the mental well-being of their workforce.”
Scott Armstrong, the founder of Mentl, highlighted the historical failures of global companies that neglected to foster open cultures for their employees. “History was littered with business cases of global companies that failed to create open cultures for their employees, which have disappeared. Wellness isn’t exclusive of high-performing cultures; wellness is the foundation for high-performing cultures,” he said.
The HBS GCC Club’s initiative to promote corporate mental health is a significant step in the right direction for organisations in the UAE. Considering the importance of employee well-being, creating a balanced work-life environment, advocating for investments in mental health, and cultivating high-performing work cultures are essential factors for the success of businesses in the modern world.