Transform Your Workplace: Take the 5% Pledge for Mental Health

Cigna Healthcare has long recognised the importance of mental health at work – that’s why mental health support is a core pillar of our Whole Health vision. In recent years, our Global 360 Well-being surveys have shown that stress, burnout and issues with work-life balance have been on the rise within the workforce, with 86% of adults in Singapore being stressed, well above the global average of 82%.

The 5% Pledge is open to senior leaders and people managers from any company, big and small. By taking the 5% Pledge, you’re committing to building a positive and supportive workplace.

Everyone within the organisation has a responsibility towards creating a culture that positively impacts mental and physical health. A joint mindset towards reducing the stigma surrounding mental health is preferable to just one department or individual trying to make a difference.

Each workplace is different, and the initiatives taken to support the specific needs of employees may vary. But our common goal remains: to achieve positive change for mental health in the workplace.

Taking the 5% Pledge will mean you are joining other senior business leaders in dedicating 5% of your annual working hours towards improving mental health in the workplace. For a person working a 40-hour work week, taking the 5% Pledge could mean allocating two hours a week or one day per month towards meaningful efforts. For example, why not designate the 1st Friday of each month as 5% Day?

Get at least one executive leader to sign the Pledge to demonstrate the importance of this issue. Kickstart a conversation about mental health in the workplace, highlighting the importance and value the business places on employee mental health. Connect with your HR leaders to review what benefits and support your company currently provides for employees and work on plugging the gaps.

The intention is that the communication starts at the top and spreads throughout the business involving everyone at all levels.

The outcomes will vary from business to business, however organisations could benefit from an improvement in attendance; reduced presenteeism; and higher attraction, engagement and retention of staff. It may also enhance your reputation and help fulfil your duty of care as an attractive employer to work for.

In addition, you will join an exclusive global community of senior leaders who face similar issues in the workplace, and be able to crowdsource best practices to help create safe and supportive working environments.

For a start, after taking the Pledge, make your commitment to supporting workplace mental health public!

• Post on social channels that you’ve taken the Pledge – give a short background on why mental health in the workplace is important to you
• Announce your commitment in staff meetings and Townhalls, employee communications such as newsletters, or even your corporate website or blog
• Share mental health at work initiatives you’ve implemented within your organisation to inspire and encourage other leaders
• When posting on social media, we would appreciate a nudge towards the Pledge site https://www.cigna.com.sg/5-percent-pledge and add the hashtag #Pledge5Percent

Taking the Pledge couldn’t be easier – it’ll only take less than a minute. Simply click here:

Take the Pledge