5 Questions to Include in Employee Mental Health Surveys in Malaysia

Disclaimer: This article should not be considered to be legal advice, and altHR is not liable for any actions taken based on this article.

The 10th of  October marked World Mental Health Day — have you reflected on the mental health in your workplace? With recent developments over the past couple of years now necessitating a shift in mindset of employees, employers must also have an employee-centric approach when it comes to designing a powerful employee experience.

This shift can also be seen in recent amendments to the Employment Act 1955, which is set to come into effect on the 1st of January 2023, with Section 81H now meaning that employers must always display a notice to raise awareness on sexual harrassment in the workplace. 

Earlier, we compiled a couple of tips on how to support mental health for your employees at the workplace here. To add on to that, it can also be useful to prepare a survey for all employees in order to gauge the mental health status of your team — while maintaining privacy, of course. 

Here are 5 mental health-related questions you can ask in a survey:

1. Do you have access to mental health information and resources?

It’s important to remove the stigma of mental health. Asking employees if they have access to the necessary resources on mental health will help you to understand the level of knowledge employees have, which can then help you provide the necessary information and support, if required. 

2. How stressed do you feel in the workplace?

Undoubtedly, there is always going to be some degree of stress when it comes to the workplace. However, this question should be accompanied by answers ranging from 1-10, with 10 being the most stressed and 1 being the least. 

If you receive results stating that the majority of your team are feeling very stressed in the workplace, perhaps it might be time to consider some changes to the culture, workload, or even support provided for your employees. It’s also important to note that there can be positive stress — that stimulates, motivates, and drives certain individuals. As such, it’s crucial to be able to distinguish between different types of stress. 

3. Is there anything that the company can do to improve your mental health?

Check in with your employees to see if there is anything that the company can do to provide support with regards to mental health in the workplace. Perhaps this can be offered in the form of flexibility for team members, or even a dedicated day off for mental health (popularly coined as “mental health days”). 

If you’re in a larger organisation, and you’re including this question in a questionnaire for hundreds or even thousands of employees, then it’s best advised for you to include multiple answers for this one. Open suggestions can be very useful and engaging for employees, but this will only be manageable for smaller teams. 

4. Do you feel comfortable sharing about mental health at work?

This question will give you a better idea on how to move forward when it comes to handling mental health in the workplace. With reportedly 8 in 10 employees not seeking treatment due to shame and stigma, it’s crucial for employees to feel comfortable and stigma-free when it comes to mental health. 

Start by opening up dialogues between employees and other colleagues, and ensure that the workplace is a safe space for individuals — no matter what. 

5. In your opinion, does the company prioritise the mental well-being of employees?

Back in 2019, a study found that less than half of all respondents felt that their companies prioritised the mental well-being of employees. As such, this is a hugely important question that you must ask to — even if it may lead to some difficult self-examining (or conversations with management, if you’re an HR manager). 

If the results are less than satisfactory, consider making some significant improvements to the day-to-day of your employees’ work life. As mentioned above, here are some quick tips to get you started on supporting your employees’ mental health in the workplace.