Forum: Train supervisors in mental well-being and emotional intelligence
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Recent reports of widespread employee disengagement, alongside the troubling exodus of young lawyers driven out by toxic work environments, should be a wake-up call for Singapore. These trends are symptoms of a systemic failure in how we define and practise leadership.
Far too many employers here assume that authoritarian pressure yields results. Instead, this management style can breed fear, stifle innovation and break people.
I have witnessed the effects of such a workplace and seen dedicated professionals forced to seek psychiatric help, and others face termination for expressing a desire for career growth.
If Singapore wishes to remain a competitive global hub, this status quo is unsustainable.
We cannot afford to lose our brightest talent to the regressive notion that productivity comes at the cost of psychological well-being.
We need to mandate mental well-being and emotional intelligence training for supervisors at every level. Promotion to management should not be based solely on technical expertise or seniority.
Leadership is a privilege that requires empathy, active listening and the cultivation of psychological safety. True leadership lifts people up; it does not tear them down.
Wong Lai Chun
