Stakeholders have emphasized the urgent need for organizations to establish mentally safe workplaces by adopting policies that ensure “reasonable accommodation” for employees living with mental health conditions.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting held Wednesday at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, Derrick Mbuga Kizza, the Executive Director of Mental Health Uganda, said that while many Ugandans spend most of their time at work, few workplaces are designed to support employees’ mental well-being.
“It is very important to make the workplace a safer space for all of us,” Kizza said.
“Employers have a responsibility to create policies that define what support workers with mental health issues can receive, what accommodations can be made, and how those can be implemented fairly.”
He noted that many people with mental health challenges choose not to disclose their conditions due to stigma and lack of supportive frameworks. “You can’t disclose within a vacuum,” he said.
“If there’s no policy that guarantees protection and support, people will continue to hide their struggles.”
Kizza called on employers to integrate reasonable accommodation into workplace culture, describing it as simple adjustments that allow employees with mental health challenges to perform effectively without imposing undue burdens on the organization.
Patrick Mugisha, Commissioner for Business Development and Quality Assurance at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, said the government is working to redefine mental health and wellness in the private sector by integrating it into policy frameworks.
“We want to open a new chapter in understanding what mental health and well-being mean in the private sector,” Mugisha said.
“It’s not enough to have successful brands if behind them are employees struggling in pain and silence. The happiness of the brand should reflect the happiness of the people behind it.”
He revealed that the Ministry plans to set up a help desk on mental health and well-being to support civil servants and small business owners, and to collaborate with Mental Health Uganda to design national guidelines and standards for workplace wellness.
Gloria Nalubowa, the Head of Human Resources at EcoBank, urged employers to view employee wellness as a “smart business strategy,” not just a welfare issue.
“You cannot speak about mental health in isolation of overall employee wellness,” Nalubowa said.
“Healthy, happy employees drive productivity, loyalty, and business growth. Investing in their well-being is not charity it’s good strategy.”
She recommended that organizations implement flexible work arrangements, employee assistance programs, and annual health screenings, while also budgeting specifically for mental wellness initiatives.
Nalubowa added that if human capital is your greatest asset, then put your money behind it. “You can’t implement wellness policies without allocating resources,” she said.
The meeting, organized by Mental Health Uganda in partnership with EcoBank and the Ministry of Trade, was part of activities marking World Mental Health Month, under the theme of promoting mental well-being in workplaces.
