TO promote mental health among working Singaporeans, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) on Wednesday launched a mental health programme at the workplace.

Called 'Treasure Your Mind', the programme aims to help employers to promote mental well-being purposefully and cost effectively.

This is through teaching frontline managers and Human Resource Departments to provide supportive work environment and work-life balance, and show care and concern for subordinates facing crisis.

A survey of companies conducted by HPB last year showed that while 58 per cent of them had in place health promotion programmes, only 16 per cent had the mental well-being component.

Launching the programme on Wednesday, Minister of State for Health Heng Chee How said this shows that Singapore still has some way to go in this area.

Citing worldwide examples, Mr Heng said companies like GlaxoSmithKline saw a 60 per cent reduction in work-related mental illnesses and a 29 per cent fall in days lost due to them when they invested in mental health.

Another pharmaceutical company, Abbott Laboratories in the US which invested US$1 (S$1.5) in the mental well-being for each worker, saw a payback of US$1.70 in employee productivity improvement.