SINGAPORE – Come 6pm on Wednesdays, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) chief executive Chua Hong Choon aims to stop work to make time for a run with staff.
The weekly routine gives them the perfect excuse to end work and join him for a jog around the nearby Yishun Pond and its surroundings.
Professor Chua, who is also the CEO of Yishun Community Hospital, said he is not afraid to admit he has tough days and that it is perfectly fine to take a break when needed.
“It starts with the leaders accepting that this is our responsibility... I have to walk the talk. I have to demonstrate how I look after myself,” he said.
“And when you foster this in the boardroom, you’re more likely to allow your managers and other leaders to also allow themselves to think about mental well-being (and) to be vulnerable. That’s the culture. People not only talk about it, they see it happening.”
At the third WorkWell Leaders Awards on April 24, Prof Chua and Professor Au Wing Lok, CEO of the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI),jointly took home the Wellbeing CEO Award for establishing a culture for a mentally healthy work environment.
Local charity WorkWell Leaders (WWL), which focuses on leadership in workplace well-being, announced the winners at the Conrad Singapore Orchard hotel.
Prof Chua, who was the CEO of the Institute of Mental Health before he moved to KTPH in 2021, said he focused more on workplace mental health efforts at the hospital as it had become apparent that mental well-being was a major issue. The Covid-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on how crucial it was to look after workers’ well-being.
Prof Au also participates in his institute’s staff programmes, which NNI – with 500 staff in seven hospitals – has created more of in recent years.
He supported the setting up of a committee – led by the chief human resources officer and a neurosurgeon – to start physical and mental wellness programmes that staff requested. The initiative also spawned several interest groups in areas such as hiking and dragon-boat rowing.
“We have created formal and informal ways for people to get together,” Prof Au said. “Ultimately, we want to build trust and create a supportive environment for our staff. I believe that if we have a happy environment, we will have happy staff.”
The winners in other categories were Singapore Pools, Otis Elevator Company, DBS Bank and Excel Precast.
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The Wellbeing Organisation of the Year Award went toshipping company Berge Bulk for developing mental health support and capability for not only office staff but also every member on every vessel in its fleet, recognising the realities of life at sea. Berge Bulk owns and manages 90 vessels, according to its website.
To highlight local and foreign organisations here that lead by example, WWL also launched at the awards an annual list of Top 25 Impact Employers for workplace well-being excellence.
Insurers AIA Singapore and Income Insurance, Changi General Hospital, SBS Transit and healthcare cluster SingHealth were among those on the list.
WWL founder and chairperson Anthea Ong referred to this list as “a new gold standard for workplace well-being excellence”.
“We need to and must change the definition of what a good employer means,” she said.
Labels frequently acknowledge programmes and policies rather than behaviours and actions. But according to Ms Ong, behaviours and actions – particularly leadership drivers – are what support organisational well-being and performance.
Prof Chua said having good workplace mental well-being is not just about implementing programmes, but also about fostering a culture where well-being is woven into the fabric of daily operations.“I think we need to be more sensitive to one another’s mental state and well-being, especially at the leadership level.”
At the National Healthcare Group, to which KTPH belongs, there is a systems approach that encompasses institutional and grassroots initiatives which ensure that employees at every level receive adequate support, he added.
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