January 9, 2025
January 9, 2025
This article was originally published by The Straits Times
SINGAPORE – The impact of heat on mental health is a less visible sign of heat stress, but it is one that people in South-east Asia should pay attention to as the world warms, experts at a heat conference warned on Jan 8.
As temperatures rise, workers could be more susceptible to mental health issues, leading to conflicts in the workplace, impaired decision-making and lower productivity, said Dr Ken C. Shawa, a senior economist at the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
“Heat stress is a silent killer. Many people are not aware that they are being affected by heat,” he said.
These can lead to workplace problems like errors in work output, workplace conflicts, low worker morale and workplace absenteeism.
While outdoor workers toiling under the sun are at higher risk of heat exposure, indoor workers – especially those who work in poorly ventilated places or near machinery that generates heat – are not spared either, Dr Shawa added.
He also noted that rising temperatures can lead to poor quality of sleep and lower work productivity when workers are not well rested.
He encouraged workers to take proper breaks and implored employers to have counselling sessions at the workplace, to give workers who may be affected by heat a safe space to talk about it.
Employers should also be mindful of their employees’ mental and physical health, and provide a safe space for workers to share and give feedback on their needs, said NUS’ Dr Ho, adding that this will help them open up.
Unlike the physical effects of being exposed to heat, the mental health problems that come with it are less talked about and studied, said Dr Shawa, adding that more research is needed in this area.
“It is important… to make people aware of the effects of heat stress on mental health so that when they have some of the symptoms, they will know that they are being affected by heat,” he said.
“A healthy worker is a happy worker.”
