SLASSCOM’s CEO Breakfast Meeting Sheds Light on Employee Well-being and Prioritizing Mental Health

SLASSCOM, the Sri Lanka Association of Software Services Companies, hosted a CEO breakfast meeting recently themed “Employee mental well-being”.

The CEO Breakfast Meeting commenced with a thought-provoking presentation by the Chairman of SLASSCOM, Mr. Ashique Ali, who emphasized the need for organizations to prioritize job satisfaction, provide organizational support and resilience training to their staff to create a positive work environment. He highlighted the importance of retaining staff, accelerating the skills of future talent, and expanding the talent pool.

Mr. Ali also shared valuable insights into the initiatives launched by SLASSCOM to address the country’s brain drain and highlighted how SLASSCOM is closely collaborating with universities and schools to create industry awareness and inspire young people to pursue careers in the IT/BPM industry.

Ruwani Alwishewa Practice Head for Assessment Business & Client Services at Great Place to Work in Sri Lanka, provided valuable insights into how companies can take a comprehensive approach to promoting wellness in the workplace. This included creating a supportive work environment, fostering positive relationships among employees and providing access to resources that help them manage stress and build resilience. By providing organizations with a workplace wellness index and wellness assessment tool, she highlighted how Great Place to Work is contributing to the cause of enhancing employee well-being. The tools help companies measure their employees’ perceptions on well-being and identify areas that require improvement. With this information, organizations can develop targeted interventions that address their employees’ needs and create a more positive work environment that supports employee well-being.

Jehan Perinpanayagam, the Vice Chairman of SLASSCOM, CEO of Infomate and the SLASSCOM ESG Forum Board Representative, expertly moderated the panel discussion that followed the presentations. The panelists included Mano Sekaram, Founder and CEO of 99x, Dr. Malkanthi Hettiarachchi, a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Chamara Wijesinghe, a senior lecturer in Psychiatry, consultant Psychiatrist and a volunteer at Sumithrayo and Kshanika Ratnayaka, the CEO at Great Place to Work.

The discussion’s primary objective was to help organizations comprehend the impact of mental health on their workforce and invest in the resilience and well-being of their employees. The panelists shared their extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of mental health and provided valuable insights into how organizations can support their employees’ mental health.

The event also emphasized the relevance and linkage between SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and well-being, as well-being is one of the UN 17 SDGs. SLASSCOM who embarked on an ESG journey in 2021, is focusing on helping many organizations drive ESG as one of their key priorities, with well-being falling under the social element of ESG.

The event was hosted by SLASSCOM in partnership with their gold corporate sponsors Mirekha Towers and platinum corporate sponsors LSEG and Dialog Enterprise. SLASSCOM aims to act as a catalyst for the growth of the IT/BPM sector, focusing on 5 key impact areas – talent development, global trade and investments, entrepreneurship and innovation, ESG and policy advocacy.