One of the silver linings from the current pandemic is more business leaders are, at long last, paying the right amount of attention to their own mental health and that of their colleagues’. The Circuit Breaker and the phased re-opening of the economy have given everyone time to pause. More people are re-evaluating what is important to them and their lives and what is not. Health is the number 1 priority for everyone and mental health is a key component of good health. Since we all spend so much time at work, ensuring mental well-being at work is a key building block for a safe and healthy workplace for every business.

We were privileged to have as our guest speaker Ms. Anthea Ong, Founder of HUSH TeaBar, Founder of WorkWell Leaders Workgroup and Nominated Member of Parliament. Anthea is a well-known advocate of the importance of good mental health and of removing the stigma which so many people in society still attach to it.

Anthea talked about the key challenges to good mental health which people are experiencing during this time of crisis: for example, stress from balancing work and home commitments and/or concern about job security and the sustainability of businesses. Anthea emphasised the importance of having good social and workplace support structures in place now and always. The responsibility of leaders to look after their own mental well-being and that of their teams is key to ensuring successful outcomes for all. Anthea rounded off her presentation by sharing some workplace initiatives and best practices adopted by businesses which, like the Chamber, champion mental wellbeing at workplaces. Check out: https://bit.ly/2NPX0Wp

After Anthea’s presentation, participants had the chance to experience HUSH+anywhere, a refreshing workshop of experiential empathy impressively facilitated by our deaf friends. The theme of the workshop was “How can I care more?” where participants learnt to take pause, to connect and listen to themselves through quiet self-reflection. It was easy to do and very relaxing.

Many thanks to Anthea for her advocacy and time. Many thanks too to Ning Pei, Ivy, Kok Wah and Kay from the HUSH team for delivering such an impactful experience.

Watch the recording of the webinar here.