Employee well-being, with more focus on mental wellness, has been the buzzword since the global pandemic restricted people’s movement and required workers to work from home. This has resulted in more companies improving their employee wellness benefits and implementing new initiatives and practices that promote communication and collaboration among team members. However, in a 2021 panel discussion on Fostering Inclusive Workplaces that Support Mental Well-being and Work-Life Harmony at the ASEAN Future of Work Conference Panel, it was highlighted that entirely focusing on mental wellness and dismissing some other aspects of an employee’s overall well-being is not ideal and sustainable.
Additionally, in their State of the Global Workplace: 2022 Report, analytics firm Gallup shows that workers in the Philippines are ranked first for being most stressed among Southeast Asian employees in 2021. The employee stress of Filipinos is still considered higher than the global average, despite its drop from 53 percent in 2020 to 50 percent in 2021. Same study shows that the Philippines ranked second in daily sadness, third in daily anger, and seventh in daily worry in Southeast Asia.
With the studies and statistics backing up the clamor for a better understanding of mental health for total and holistic workplace wellness, employers have now become more proactive in identifying and implementing policies that will support positive employee health and behavior.
Work-Life Balance for Healthcare Workers and Frontlines
Total wellness of an employee is all about everything – from their mental and physical health to their financial wellness, sense of purpose, social support, and meaningful connections. When combined together, these aspects contribute to their well-being in totality, and the absence of one will likely have a negative impact on their wellness in the long run.
For a healthcare institution like Manila Doctors Hospital (MDH), providing total wellness in the workplace is both advantageous and more challenging at the same time. Being at the frontline of healthcare and medical services, employees also experience the perks of healthcare benefits; on the other hand, the responsibility may become overwhelming to them at some point. “Our business of providing comprehensive and excellent healthcare services goes beyond our patients and customers- we also extend the same to our employees and front liners to ensure their own personal growth and total wellness while servicing our patients”, says Karen Martinez, Vice President of Human Resources Directorate.
The hospital’s efforts and commitment to provide the same quality care to its employees was recognized when it was named as one of the Philippines’ Best Employers for 2025 by Philippine Daily Inquirer in partnership with Statista. Out of the 300 companies on the list, MDH was ranked 17. It also ranked 1st among the hospitals included in the list.
Since 2022, MDH produced 13 outstanding nurses from this recognition program.
It’s also the third consecutive year Manila Doctors Hospital was included on the Best Employers list.
Attracting and retaining the best talents for nursing care and allied medical profession are at the forefront priority of the hospital. MDH has designed the Seamless Integration Program where nursing students from partner colleges are automatically employed under the Nursing Residency Program of the hospital. Upon integration, they are regarded as Clinical Nursing Associates (CNAs) wherein they are already eligible for premium benefits and they undergo extensive nursing training from bedside to special areas. Since 2021, MDH has produced over 200 staff nurses out of this program. The hospital also has an ongoing partnership with esteemed Universities like the De La Salle University for Allied Professional Health and Internship Programs to ensure the steady supply of allied medical workers.
Last 2023, MDH was Halal-certified by IDCP, which benefits not only Muslim patients but also the Muslim employees. In 2021, the hospital’s RAISEIT core values was also a recipient of the Philippine Quill Award. Organized by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), the Quill Awards recognize communication strategies that use communication to achieve business goals and make a positive impact on society.