Provide Counselling for Workers to Boost Productivity

Senator Nelson Renganathan stated that all organisations must provide the joy of work to their employees by counselling them on how to cope with mental stress and challenges in order to boost their productivity and efficiency.

The importance of a mental health programme

He emphasised that seizing chances via talent development and robust mental health programmes is the best way to create a brighter future for all, according to a statement recently released by the Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management (MIHRM).

He went on to say that by treating mental health issues among employees, human resource managers and executives should restart, reshape, and reorganise to the new standards.

"The pandemic has demonstrated the need to be both opportunistic and risk-aware. People are seeking a sense of joy and freedom to reshape their lives. There was a lack of counsellors during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Organisations must have bold plans to improve employees working conditions, primarily those with disturbed minds,” he said during MIHRM’s Malaysia International Awards 2021 on Friday.

He said counselling is critical in harnessing all employees' collective energy.

He said that findings revealed a concerning trend of lost work-life balance and employers must act quickly before productivity and employee well-being are harmed. As a result, Nelson pushed MIRHM to implement professional counsellor-led counselling programmes in their organisations' human resources departments.

Counselling as a way to help employees manage stress

MIRHM president Simon Benjamin acknowledged in the same statement that counselling is one technique to help employees learn to manage stress and tension caused by their surroundings.

He said that counselling is a highly specialised service, and only professionals should be hired to help people deal with stress at work and at home. He noted that professional therapists can help others improve personally by assisting them in dealing with a variety of events that produce emotional stress.

Simon said the lack of such a support structure might lead to discord among employees. He added that a counsellor could help employees leverage their core competencies. He further said that counsellors can also assist in the creation of a culture that promotes greater synergy in company learning and development.

"As a result, employees can increase their self-awareness and improve any negative behavioural tendencies to make them more effective as individuals and, in turn, in their jobs," he said.

Other ways to support employees

Here are the four alternative ways for managers to support their employees:

Check in regularly with staff.
Encourage employees to take breaks regularly.
Have clear boundaries with employees and not disturb them after working hours.
Allow remote work (if possible).