LETTERS: Stress-related disorders at the workplace have been on the rise. They are the main cause of employee absenteeism.
According to the Global Burnout Study 2022, employee burnout has increased by more than five per cent in the last 12 months.
The Gallup report stated that 40 per cent of global employees face work-related stress daily.
An interesting question to ponder is, how far traffic jams in our cities contribute to burnout.
I refuse to accept traffic jams as an indicator of development, modern society or prosperity.
We are unaware of the long-term impact of pollution that gathers in a car that is stuck at traffic jams and red lights and have far more damaging effects on our bodies.
This encroaches on our exercise time and deprives us of sleep, which is associated with low fitness levels. This contributes to weight gain, low stamina and poor blood circulation, which are precursors to chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure.
The Covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for us to innovate our daily productivity through remote working options.
In fact, the progression of technology allows for most tasks to be automated, provide real-time reports, information, and data to be available, as well as expediting the decision-making process without the need for physical presence in a locality or place.
The nation cannot only focus on economic vigour and development and sideline the importance of human and environmental virtues.
The act of balancing these aspects is even more promising with technology, innovation and creativity. We have made exemplary strides in Malaysia.
For example, the World Bank has ranked Malaysia in 12th position among 190 nations in ease of doing business. We are also second best in the Asean region after Singapore in the 2023 World Bank Logistics Performance Index.
The Public Service Department has taken steps to inject flexibility, and boost productivity and the wellbeing of employees. These include flexi-working hours introduced in 2019. The Malaysian brand must not only stop at celebrating diversity but must also be one that is healthy inside out.
PUNITHA VENI MUTHUSAMY
Fellow senior researcher, National Institute of Public Administration
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times