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KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Recently, the story of a man who lost his job during the motion control order (MCO) and did not tell his wife went viral on social media, touching the hearts of many.
The man had told a local radio station that he was keeping the loss of his job a secret from his wife, as he did not want her to worry.
Every morning for the past three months, she got ready as usual and pretended to go to work. As soon as he left home, he would look for odd jobs to earn some money.
“As the head of my family, it was difficult for me to tell my wife that I had lost my job … I felt so guilty and didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth,” he said.
This man is one of many Malaysians who were laid off by companies affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Losing your job and source of income suddenly can have an adverse effect on mental health, especially if you have a family that depends on them.
It was recently reported that a former pilot jumped to his death from his condo unit in Puchong, Selangor. Apparently, he was depressed because he had lost his job.
In another case earlier this month, a cook who lost his job due to the Covid-19 crisis took his own life by hanging himself at his home in Taman Berjaya, Simpang Renggam, Johor.
High levels of anxiety
With the daily number of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia rising to unprecedented levels and amid fears over tightening of movement restrictions, people are beginning to feel anxious again.
Chief Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced on Monday (October 12) that Selangor, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Sabah would be placed under the conditional MCO following the increase in Covid-19 cases.
It goes into effect in Sabah from October 13 to 26. In Selangor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur, it will be in effect from October 14 to 27.
Commenting on the current situation, occupational health expert Dr. Shawaludin Husin said that it was not unlikely that anxiety levels would rise during these uncertain times.
He said that in the initial stage of the pandemic, people were more concerned about their health and exposure to infections.
At the time, they were mostly stressed about adjusting to the work-from-home environment and getting used to the new normal.
“But the MCO’s biggest impact is its effect on the economy when many workers were laid off or asked to go on leave without pay. Many employers, for their part, were forced to temporarily suspend operations while others had to close their businesses due to financial constraints, “he said.
The subsequent application of the MCO’s conditional and recovery phases brought some relief to workers and employers. Although the business environment is not as optimistic as it used to be, they are relieved to be able to resume their business activities as long as they comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) established by the Ministry of Health.
End of moratorium
In addition to the spike in Covid-19 cases in the past two weeks, the end of the six-month moratorium on loan payments on September 30 is also causing anxiety levels to rise.
Dr. Shawaludin, who is also president of the Malaysian Occupational Safety and Health Society, told Bernama that the economic impact of the pandemic on people and businesses would be revealed by the end of October.
“Over the past few months, the moratorium and various incentives and grants provided by the government helped ease its financial burden to some extent.
“But after this (end of the moratorium), not only the workers will have a headache, but also their employers, as they would also have to start repaying the loans they took to buy their buildings, machines and equipment.
“They have to make sure they have adequate cash flow to pay their employees’ salaries and take care of other costs,” he said.
Uncontrolled stress levels due to job and business loss can lead to psychosocial dangers that are more serious, he said, adding that studies and surveys should be conducted regarding people’s current economic situation and how long they can support themselves. government incentives. they.
Be considerate
Urging employers to be frank with their workforce on matters related to their financial situation and refrain from terminating their services without notice, Dr. Shawaludin said this will give his employees some time to find a new job. as they have families to feed.
“Employees must also be considerate and think about the burden their employers bear. They (workers) must remember their employers’ contributions and do everything possible to help their company recover,” he said.
In the current scenario, both employers and workers must learn to be more creative and bold enough to try new strategies to keep companies afloat, he added.
Dr Shawaludin also said that in view of the ongoing pandemic, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure their facilities are Covid-19 free and that workers are compliant with SOPs.
He said that the 1994 Occupational Safety and Health Act has provisions to ensure a safe and healthy work environment that is free from chemical hazards and noise pollution and even biological hazards such as Covid-19 infection.
“In this sense, anyone caught violating standard operating procedures, such as not scanning the QR code or taking their temperature or observing physical distancing or wearing a mask should not be allowed to enter the facilities because their behavior may cause harm to others,” he added . .
Improve awareness
Meanwhile, Nasrullah Zainal Abidin, a psychology officer at the Negri Sembilan campus of the Universiti Teknologi Mara in Rembau, said that mental health problems should be given the same importance as physical ailments such as diabetes and heart disease.
He said that as part of measures to raise awareness about mental health care, the role played by professionals in this field, such as counselors, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and social workers, must be recognized.
Existing policies may also need to be improved to raise their professionalism, he added.
“The health and safety of workers should not only cover their physical appearance, but also their psychological aspect, as it contributes to their general well-being.
“If both are not taken care of, it will affect the productivity of an organization,” Nasrullah said, adding that problems such as burnout and uncontrolled stress can lead to high levels of absenteeism.
Poor communication between employer and employee, lack of motivation, and personal problems like financial and family problems are among the factors that contribute to mental health problems among workers.
Some organizations, he added, have made the right decision by setting up trained peer counseling groups in the workplace to check for mental health problems among workers. – Bernama
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