Insights from Naluri’s CHRO

Roundtable Dialogue and

Research on Employee Wellbeing
Unintended Toxicity: How Middle Management is Conflicted
Between Delivering Business Performance and Creating a
Psychologically Safe Workplace
Foreword
Unintended Toxicity: How Middle Management is Conflicted Between Delivering
Business Performance and Creating a Psychologically Safe Workplace

Earlier this year, Naluri hosted a CHRO Roundtable Dialogue around a pressing theme: the
delicate balance management faces between striving for business performance and nurturing a
psychologically safe workplace. This document takes you through the nuances of this
challenge, underpinned by data that illustrates the current landscape of mental health in
Southeast Asia. Each section builds upon the last, forming a comprehensive picture that
addresses not only the prevalence of mental health risks across industries and generations but
also the profound impact of workplace wellbeing support and the importance of early
intervention.

It is our hope that this document will serve as a catalyst for robust dialogue, innovative
strategies, and actionable insights that will empower you to pave the way for a future where
business performance and employee wellbeing are not competing interests but are mutually
reinforcing principles.
 What is the Naluri What is the

Mental Health Thriving from Work

Assessment? Questionnaire?
The Naluri Mental Health Assessment The Thriving from Work
is a tool that utilises the Depression, Questionnaire (TfWQ) is a clinically
Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21),
validated assessment tool
a clinically validated instrument for developed by the Harvard T.H.
gauging emotional states among Chan School of Public Health used
adults. Its 21 carefully formulated to measure work-related wellbeing.
questions measure three self-report It captures nuanced details about
scales, providing a comprehensive daily professional experiences to
snapshot of an individual’s
discern if employees are thriving,
mental wellbeing. coping, or struggling with their
work environment.

02
Percentage of the Population in Southeast Asia 2023 signals an
with High Mental Health Risks improvement in
2021 2022 2023
mental health in
Southeast Asia
63% 63%
The landscape of mental health
56% 56% in Southeast Asia has shown
encouraging improvement in
49% 49% 2023, moving away from the
47% less favourable results from the
43% previous year. Despite this
progress, the rate of mental
36% health risks remain high, and
challenges persist - with
workplace pressures, financial
uncertainties, political flux, and
personal struggles as dominant
stressors.

Depression Anxiety Stress

Source: Naluri Mental Health Assessments (DASS-21; 2021-2023; n=226,000)

03
Wellbeing issues Percentage of Full-time Employees by
remain high for Workplace Wellbeing Category (2023)
employees – only 6%
are thriving at work 81%

‘Thriving’, as Harvard describes,

is about reaching one’s full
potential – yet currently, only
6% of today’s workforce
achieves this. 94% of
employees merely cope or
struggle at their workplaces,
underscoring critical wellbeing
and productivity concerns for
employers.

13%
6%

Thriving Coping Struggling

Source: Naluri Thriving from Work Questionnaire (2023; n=18,000)

04
 Percentage of Full-time Employees with High Mental There is a strong link
Health Risks by Workplace Wellbeing Category (2023) between workplace
wellbeing and mental
health

78%
The 2023 figures affirm a
significant correlation between
workplace wellbeing and
overall mental health risks. A
compelling 78% of employees
53% that are struggling in their
workplaces are at high risk for
mental health issues, while only
28% of those thriving face
similar risks.
28%

Thriving Coping Struggling

Source: Naluri Thriving from Work Questionnaire (2023, n=18,000),

Naluri Mental Health Assessment (DASS-21; 2023, n=56,000)
05
Struggling employees How Often Do You Think About Quitting Your
are 12 times more Job? Breakdown of Full-Time Employees by
likely to quit their jobs Workplace Wellbeing Category (2023)
% of respondents answering ‘Always’ and ‘Often’
The survey presents more than
a reflection on mental health—
it highlights the profound 78%
implications for employee
retention and talent
management. A vast 78% of
‘Struggling’ employees
frequently consider leaving,
contrasted with a mere 6% of
those ‘Thriving’.

33%

6%

Struggling Coping Thriving

Source: Naluri Thriving from Work Questionnaire (2023; n=18,000)

06
Breakdown of the Most Important Factors in the High expectations and
Lives of Full-Time Employees (2023) burnout are the
biggest concern for
employees
6%
7%

29% From our data, employees are

most affected by the pressures
14% of balancing work and life, with
29% citing workload and
burnout as their top challenges.
These concerns, coupled with
the quest for career growth
and performance pressures,
18%
should shape the agenda for
workplace wellbeing.
26%

Work-life Balance and Burnout Conflict at the Workplace

Motivation and Morale Other
Career Change or Growth Work Culture

Source: Naluri Data

07
Younger employees Percentage of Full-time Employees with High
are at higher risk of Mental Health Risks by Age Group (2023)
mental health issues
68%
There is a pronounced
generational gap in mental
health, with 68% of the
Southeast Asian workforce
under 30 facing high mental
health risks, more than 3 times 48%
the rate of the above 50 group.
This underlines the importance
of building resilience within the
younger workforce. 32%

19%

18-29 30-39 40-49 50-65

Source: Naluri Mental Health Assessment (DASS-21; 2023, n=56,000)

08
 Percentage of Full-time Employees with High Mental health risks
Mental Health Risks by Industry (2023) are more prevalent in
some industries than
others
Professional Services 30%
Consumer Goods 28% Data for 2023 reveals
Information Technology 27% significant variations in mental
Financial Services 25%
health risks across different
industries, with employees
Oil & Gas / Energy 24% from professional services,
Media & Entertainment 23% consumer goods, and
Insurance 22% information technology sectors
Airlines 22%
experiencing the greatest
mental health risks.
Real Estate 22%
Manufacturing / Industrial 21%
Telco 17%
Healthcare 17%
Logistics 16%
Education 16%

Source: Naluri Mental Health Assessment (DASS-21; 2023, n=56,000)

09
Psychological safety Breakdown of Thriving from Work Responses
is lacking in the
workplace
% of respondents answering ‘Never’
Questionnaire results from
2023 pinpoint psychological
safety as a critical factor in I can easily manage the
3%
employee wellbeing, with 15% demands of my job
reporting a concerning lack of I can voice my concerns or make suggestions
psychological safety at the at work without getting into trouble
5%
workplace.
I can achieve a healthy balance between
my work and life outside of work 5%

I love my job 5%

I am paid fairly for the job I do 6%

I am happy with how much input I have

in decisions that affect my work 7%

I am treated fairly at work 9%

I feel psychologically safe at work 15%

Source: Naluri Thriving from Work Questionnaire (2023; n=18,000)

10
Presence of Workplace Wellbeing Support by Workplaces with
Workplace Wellbeing Category (2023) access to wellbeing
Yes No
support see higher
rates of thriving
87% employees

75%
Workplaces with wellbeing
support have more employees
that are thriving. However, for
this support to be truly
53% effective, they must not only
exist but also be accessible
47%
and widely used. The
discrepancy, especially
pronounced in struggling
workplace categories, points to
a need for providing access to
25%
mental health services to
employees.
13%

Thriving Coping Struggling

Source: Naluri Thriving from Work Questionnaire (2023; n=18,000)

11
Early detection and Organisational Psychological Safety Pyramid Chart
preventive care (Indexed to 10,000 Employees; 2021 vs. 2023)
makes a significant
difference
1 1 0% Suicide

A downward trend in severe Medical

cases, including medical 6 3 -50% buyout
buyouts and diagnosed mental
illness, alongside an increase in
employees seeking help and Prolonged
11 12 9% mental illness
identifying early risk, illustrates
the tangible benefits of
proactive mental health
strategies. 123 65 -47% Diagnosed
mental illness

Reached out
224 843 276% for help

Early mental
353 158 -55% health risk

2021 2023

Source: Naluri Data

12
 Discussion Summary: Insights and Relevant Strategies

Presenting issues in organisations: Key strategies for improvement:

Challenges in calculating the Take a data-driven approach to

ROI of wellness initiatives wellness initiatives
While most leaders understand the importance of Put in place structured methods to collect and measure
wellbeing initiatives in theory, many are still unsure about data, to more easily calculate and report ROI. This includes
how to quantify their return on investment to the board. improved employee health (e.g., reduction in health risks
and claims), productivity (e.g., absenteeism and
presenteeism), engagement scores and retention.

Inconsistency in the prioritisation of Lead from the front and upskill middle
wellness across management levels managers to become wellness ambassadors
While senior leaders encourage employees to make use of Ensure senior leaders role model positive health and
support services in public settings such as town halls, wellness behaviours and train middle managers to
they may not embody the culture of wellbeing themselves. understand and identify early signs of mental health risks
Middle managers may not be effectively communicating and burnout within their team. Ensure support is provided
the importance of wellness to their team and are typically to employees through the wellbeing support infrastructure
unable to identify and effectively manage mental health provided by the organisation.
risks and burnout.

13
 Discussion Summary: Insights and Relevant Strategies

Presenting issues in organisations: Key strategies for improvement:

Authoritarian culture discourages Reset power dynamics to

junior staff from sharing ideas encourage psychological safety
The nature of our compliant societal culture and pyramid- Encourage and train leaders to adapt and show openness,
style organisational structures encourage authoritarian vulnerability, and humility to build trust. This has shown to
dynamics, which in turn discourages junior employees encourage bottom-up ideation and improved team
from speaking up. performance and effectiveness.

Skepticism around hybrid and Pilot work flexibility

flexible working arrangements while monitoring results

Flexible working arrangements are becoming increasingly Implement or trial a gradual transition to flexible working
important to employees, yet many leaders still harbour arrangements while measuring any changes in
trust issues with their employees working from home. productivity. This could be important as work flexibility is
becoming a major deciding factor for job seekers and may
be critical in attracting and retaining the best talent.

14
Four key actions to The Influence Model
drive change in
employee mindsets
“I will change my mind-set and behaviour if...”
and behaviour to
prioritise wellbeing Fostering Developing Reinforcing
Role modeling understanding talent and with formal
and conviction skills mechanisms
Shifting organisational culture “I see my leaders,
colleagues and
“I understand the
importance and
“I have the skills and
opportunities to
“I see that our
structures,
and employee behaviour to staff prioritising benefits of identify early signs processes, and
prioritise wellbeing is wellbeing.” prioritising of risk, and manage systems support the
challenging - transformations wellbeing.” my wellbeing and
the wellbeing of my
wellbeing changes
that I am being
are more likely to succeed team.” asked to make.”
through the use of four
fundamental actions: role
modelling, fostering
understanding and conviction, Why it works Why it works Why it works Why it works
developing talent and skills, People mimic People seek Employees that are A company that
individuals and congruence equipped with the formally and
and reinforcing with formal groups who between their skills and informally rewards
mechanisms. surround them - it beliefs and actions understanding of positive wellbeing
is important for —believing in the how to manage the behaviours will
employees to see “why” inspires team's wellbeing promote and
their leaders them to prioritise are more likely to reinforce a culture
demonstrating the wellbeing of be successful in of wellbeing
behaviours that team members creating a work
prioritise wellness. culture that
prioritises wellbeing

Adapted from The Influence Model by McKinsey & Company 15