MANILA, PHILIPPINES — MindNation, a pioneering mental health and well-being company, partnered with UN Women Philippines to prioritize mental health and promote equality in the workplace. To kickstart their collaboration, MindNation and UN Women hosted an exclusive Leaders’ Roundtable on May 31 with the theme “#TimeToTalk: Prioritizing Mental Health in the Workplace.”
In 2023 data collected by MindNation, surveying 15,000 employees, revealed that nearly half of female employees in the Philippines face mental health challenges at work. The survey has unveiled concerning data regarding mental health challenges among Filipino employees, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of women in the workforce, shared by MindNation during the event. The key findings include:
- 45% of women employees surveyed reported that they struggled with depression, anxiety, stress, and emptiness.
- 77% of women experience significantly more difficulties to achieve work-life balance compared to male employees.
- 45% reported that financial pressures as one of their top sources of mental health challenges.
- 38% stated that mental health challenges, particularly stress, affected their productivity. These women lose 15.5 hours per week due to mental health concerns.
- 31% are suffering from burnout as a result of unaddressed mental health challenges.
- 24% had significantly greater intention to quit their job due to mental health issues compared to their male counterparts.
These research findings shed light on the pressing need to prioritize mental health and create inclusive and gender-sensitive interventions in the workplace. MindNation and UN Women aim to address these challenges through partnerships, fostering meaningful dialogue and equipping organizations with sustainable and effective strategies to support employee well-being and gender equality.
“Recognizing the intersectionality between gender and mental health disparities is crucial for companies to take proactive and well-crafted strategies that address these needs as they overlap,” said Cat Triviño, co-Founder, Chief Product and Data Officer, MindNation. “Without concrete, effective, and gender-sensitive solutions, women are left to disproportionately bear the burden of these gaps in intervention.”
“The alarming reality is that almost half of Filipino employees experience mental health challenges, with women being particularly affected, and we need to find ways to address them.” added Lenlen Mesina, UN Women Philippines Country Programme Coordinator, stressing the need for urgent action.
The virtual Leaders’ Roundtable featured industry experts and thought leaders who delved into the complexities of employee well-being and discussed strategies for fostering a supportive work environment: Ronna Bautista, Organizational Development (OD) Manager, First Balfour; Anj Vera, Chief Executive Officer, TalentView; Ricardo Daniel R. Cosico, CLDP Global Senior People Engagement Supervisor, Boldr; Kim Mendoza, Head of Data and Insights, MindNation. Dar Ty-Nilo, Founder and President, Belle De Jour, moderated the event.
“For organizations who think that mental health is such a big topic to tackle: you can start small, see your employees as actual human beings that [have] emotional needs, feelings, personal and internal conflicts. Hearing the voices of our employees would help embrace or start the journey of knowing more about mental health or breaking down the stigma,” said Ronna Baytusta of First Balfour.
“There are a lot of people around us in the workplace and our environment who do not feel safe, silently suffering. Listening goes a long way when it comes to mental health, being present on an organizational level. Making different channels of communication available to all team members at all times is one of the most effective ways of addressing mental health concerns,” reminded Daniel Cosico of Boldr.
Anj Vera of TalentView shared, “Where your investment is, there your priorities will be. Being able to focus on mental health and women empowerment, it shouldn’t just be values up on the wall, it should be something that you practice, something you reflect in your policies and programs.”
Lenlen capped off the discussion with an introduction to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) established by UN Global Compact and UN Women. The WEPs are informed by international labor and human rights standards and are grounded in the recognition that businesses have a stake in, and responsibility for, gender equality and women’s empowerment. WEPs are a primary vehicle for corporate delivery on gender equality dimensions of the 2030 agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Lenlen further invited leaders to join the WEPs community, to commit to this agenda at the highest levels of the company, and work collaboratively in multi-stakeholder networks to foster business practices that empower women.
The event culminated in the official signing of the MindNation and UN Women partnership to provide the data and insights needed for key programs for women’s well-being in the workplace.
