Signals from 2025, Directions for 2026
A year-in-review whitepaper co-authored by SEHATi by PERKESO, ThoughtFull & brioHR
The State of Workplace Wellness in Malaysia
What 2025 revealed, and what employers should prioritise next. Get the signals shaping workplace wellness in Malaysia and a practical framework to act on them in 2026.
What You’ll Learn from This Whitepaper
A practical, Malaysia-relevant resource that helps you identify risks early and take targeted action. You’ll get:
  • A Malaysia workforce snapshot and why workforce health risk is now a productivity issue
  • Physical health risk signals from SEHATi by PERKESO's screening insights: The main drivers of rising healthcare costs in Malaysia, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their impact on organisational claims
  • Organisational mental wellness insights from ThoughtFull's OMWA dataset: The hidden mental health challenges that contribute to indirect costs, such as absenteeism, reduced morale, disengagement, and presenteeism
  • Organisational & HR insights from brioHR on how wellbeing issues surface through HR signals: Leave, absenteeism, turnover, engagement
  • The Holistic Workplace Wellness Framework and a practical step-by-step action plan for Malaysian employers in 2026
  • Real-world case studies showing what works when physical, mental, and organisational interventions align
Who this is for
  • HR, and People Leaders building a 2026 workforce strategy
  • CEOs and Functional Leaders who want wellbeing linked to performance and cost
  • Benefits, Total Rewards, and Operations leaders managing attendance and productivity
  • Policymakers and ecosystem partners shaping workforce resilience in Malaysia
Why this matters now
Workplace wellness is entering a new era in Malaysia, where physical health risk, mental strain, and organisational design increasingly determine attendance stability, retention, and sustained performance.

This report helps employers move from reactive initiatives to an integrated, measurable strategy for 2026.
Physical health risk is already embedded in the workforce with widespread NCD risk factors in screening insights
In ThoughtFull’s OMWA sample, 60.74% reported moderate-to-low psychological safety, a key organisational risk factor
Productivity loss is measurable: the report discusses the substantial impact of absenteeism and presenteeism, including a benchmark of 73.1 days lost per employee per year (absence + presenteeism)
If you’re building your 2026 people strategy, this is your starting point.
Co-authored by
Interested? Download whitepaper here.

Other Resources

Mental Health at Work
10 minutes

A Guide to Mental Wellness: For Individuals and Workplaces

Improve your mental wellness by fostering a strong mind-body connection, eating well, exercising your mind, and developing a positive mindset.
Mar 17, 2025
Read More
HR Strategies
8 minutes

Employee Retention – Definition, Strategies, and Takeaways

Learn what employee retention is, why it matters, key reasons behind turnover, and how to calculate your employee retention rate effectively.
Jun 20, 2025
Read More
Therapy
12 minutes

Find A Therapist Near You in Malaysia: Online and In-Person (2025)

Find a therapist near you in Malaysia. Explore online and in-person therapy options, understand different types, and discover trusted therapy services.
May 29, 2025
Read More

Learn More about ThoughtFull

Take the first step towards better mental health today. Get started with Thoughtfull.
Subscribe
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.