Thrive at Work: A Journey to Workplace Well-being

Thrive @ Work: A Journey to Workplace Well-being

18 Jul 2024

5 Min Read

Taylor's Impact Lab (Mental Health and Well-being)

IN THIS ARTICLE

250 Taylor’s University Bachelor of Business (Honours) and Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (Honours) in Team Entrepreneurship students present their research-backed methods for improving workplace well-being, in order to foster healthier company cultures, working in collaboration with the university’s Mental Health and Well-being Impact Lab.

Did you know that the average person will spend 90,000 hours working in a lifetime? From this, it is clear that the workplace's importance simply cannot be overstated.

In fact, Malaysia was recently ranked the second worst country for work-life balance out of 60 countries in 2023, according to the Global Life-Work Balance Index.

Students Search for Effective Workplace Organisational Strategies to Curb Mental Distress From Work

On 2nd July 2024, business and entrepreneurship students from Taylor’s University showcased their theoretically-proven findings in a public poster exhibition at The Grand Hall. The event was sponsored by the School of Management and Marketing under Taylor's Business School.

_{Dr Karen Tsen (Event organiser and judge) seen evaluating student presentations}

Bustling with passion and in search of the most effective established practices by companies, students presented their findings (a cumulation of their respective company analysis condensed into a 3-minute pitch) to the judges, Dr. Hue Chi Yin, Ms. Affezah Ali and Dr. Michele Anne for evaluation. The event’s success was greatly attributed to the judges, whose expertise and dedication were pivotal.

_{Students presenting to one of the judges, Dr Hue Chi Yin (Left)}

The groups and their solutions were judged based on the method’s feasibility, creativity, effectiveness and pitching skills.

_{Enthusiastic students showcase their innovative findings to judges}

Various Experts Engage In A Panel Discussion Sharing Their Views On Workplace Practices

_{One-hour panel discussion with invited speakers sharing their experiences}

'Before company success and improved employee morale, you must create a sense of belonging in your organisation. Then it’s no matter if they are Gen Z or Gen Alpha, they would want to work with you,' said Law Jiun Yuan, Founder of HPI solutions and HPI Group of Companies, when asked for tips for dealing with Generation Alpha and Generation Z within the workplace.

Jaelyn Wong (current Taylor’s University Master of Counselling student working in the human resources field) and Dr Ahmad Mustaqim Bin Yusof (Taylor’s University Senior Lecturer and Counsellor) joined fellow panelists to share their own perspectives on the topic.

_{Students listen to the Panel Discussion with experts in the field}

The importance of supporting employees' mental health and well-being, and the need for employers to prioritise their own well-being were explored. In addition, the recommendations to provide a supportive work environment and allocate a budget for mental health support were explored all within the one-hour duration.

_{Students listening to the Panel Discussion with experts in the field}

The Top Five Groups Give Their All For The Final Round of Presentations to Audience and Judges

_{The Top Five groups}

_{Final presentations in session}

Awarded the grand prize of RM500, the students who presented on the luxury car brand Volkswagen won the overall vote (revealed in a live voting session) with their compelling and thorough presentation.

_{Final results from live voting session}

When asked what made the group stand out, Dr Karen Tsen said 'When this group was presenting their work, they stood out because when others were looking at the poster, they knew what exactly are the steps you need to implement. What exactly happens in Volkswagen and how can I bring back these practices and implement it in my company, or as a manager? What are the things I can suggest to higher-ups to actually take care of employee well-being? So this is the part that I liked the most and they also backed it up with a lot of statistics.'

_{The Winning Presentation}

_{The Runner Ups}

'We hope that we can promote a better working environment in all aspects, holistically speaking, not just in terms of employee mental health. If you look at Volkswagen, they also promote employee development in terms of their skill sets through the Faculty 74 Programme and also the Idea Management and Intrapreneurship Programme,' said Jonathan Wan Liang Jun, Year 2 International Business Management student, who was one of the two presenters for his group.

_{Winning Group Pictured: Serena Ngo Xin Ling, Jonathan Wan Liang, Voo Qiao Er, Wong Wen Jing, Choo Yi Shan, Dr Karen, Tan Zhe Tian}

A Brighter and More Successful Workplace Starts With Implementing The Right Workplace Practices

As observed from the 56 innovative solutions by the 250 students, it can be seen there is no shortage of best workplace practices and in turn no excuse for any employee mistreatment in the workplace that continues to persist.

_{Moments from the exhibition}

As business leaders, it is important to become familiar with these practices in order to apply the ones best suited to your company’s needs. The workplace should be a safe place for employees and leaders, and it is the company’s responsibility to prioritise the well-being of their staff – ensuring it is a place where the majority of those 90,000 hours are spent in healthy workplace cultures.

This meaningful project is closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (“SDG”) 3 on Good Health and Well-being, which relates to recognising the significance of mental health in fostering overall well-being and optimal functioning. The Taylor’s University Mental Health and Well-being Impact Lab continues to seek synergies with like-minded industry partners and external experts who can work together with motivated students and dedicated academic staff at Taylor’s University.

LEARN MORE ABOUT IMPACT LABS

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Thrive @ Work: A Journey to Workplace Well-being

Students Search for Effective Workplace Organisational Strategies to Curb Mental Distress From Work

Various Experts Engage In A Panel Discussion Sharing Their Views On Workplace Practices

The Top Five Groups Give Their All For The Final Round of Presentations to Audience and Judges

A Brighter and More Successful Workplace Starts With Implementing The Right Workplace Practices

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