Ending discrimination among employees and creating an equal workplace can improve productivity and the quality of services provided by an organization, First Lady Sajidha Mohamed said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the opening of a seminar on workplace mental wellbeing at Henveiru Meerumaa Hall, Sajidha said people go to work carrying concerns about their personal lives, including family matters, their children's education and health.

She said employees bring these concerns with them while also having their professional responsibilities at the top of their daily schedules.

"What should the workplace environment be like in such a situation? How important is it for all employees to be friendly and work together as a cohesive team?" she asked.

Sajidha said the answers to these questions depend on ensuring mental wellbeing in the workplace.

She said events and experiences at work can have a significant impact on a person's overall wellbeing and mental health.

"For that reason, I believe this seminar is very important and very useful," she said.

First Lady Sajidha cited findings from the 2021 STEP survey, which found that one in five people in the Maldives experiences symptoms of depression.

She said discrimination and insecurity in the workplace can negatively affect employees' mental health.

"Studies show that when employees are mentally satisfied in the workplace, the office is more productive. Service delivery is better. Overall productivity is higher in agencies where employees are satisfied with their workplace, and their satisfaction with the agency also increases," she said.

First lady Sajidha said an organization is made up of a team of people and building a strong team is essential to running an office effectively.

Research shows that supporting employees' mental wellbeing helps build stronger teams, she said.

She highlighted several principles for creating a healthy workplace, including respecting all employees, treating them equally, considering their ideas and perspectives, and making every employee feel like a member of the organization's family.

The two-day seminar is jointly organized by the Ministry of Health, National Mental Health Department, Civil Service Commission, Civil Service Training Institute and WHO Maldives, and is aimed at human resources heads from government agencies.