KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 15): Leading life and health insurance provider AIA Bhd today named 15 companies as winners of its annual Malaysia’s Healthiest Workplace by AIA Vitality awards, recognising their respective efforts in promoting workplace health and creating a healthy environment for their employees.

The awards were spread over four main categories, namely Malaysia’s Healthiest Employees, Malaysia’s Healthiest Employer, Malaysia’s Healthiest Workplace and Malaysia’s Most Improved Workplace, with each listing three companies according to size.

For the Malaysia’s Healthiest Employees category, the winners were Mindvalley, Agilent Technologies LDA Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Technip Geoproduction (M) Sdn Bhd.

Additionally, there were three entities that were ‘highly commended’, namely Yayasan Pahang, Fitness First Malaysia and Keysight Technologies Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

For the Malaysia’s Healthiest Employer category, the winners were Yayasan Pahang, International Medical University (IMU) and Dell Global Business Center Sdn Bhd.

This was followed by three ‘highly commended’ awards that went to Mindvalley, UDA Holdings Bhd and Nestlé Malaysia Bhd.

AIA also honoured companies for healthiest workplace, with the winners being Yayasan Pahang, IMU and Dell. Meanwhile, Mindvalley, Agilent and Top Glove Corporation Bhd were ‘highly commended’.

Malaysia’s most improved workplaces were also acknowledged, with the winners being Yayasan Pahang, KPJ Pasir Gudang Specialist Hospital and McDonald’s Malaysia. Those ‘highly commended’ were Harveston Financial Advisory Sdn Bhd, Petrosains Sdn Bhd and Nestlé.

The awards are given in conjunction with AIA’s yearly Malaysia’s Healthiest Workplace by AIA Vitality survey. This is the third year that AIA commissioned the survey, with participation from a record 230 organisations of different sizes and sectors across Malaysia, representing a combined workforce of 17,595 employees.

“The survey continues to highlight the prevalence of depression, anxiety, sleep insufficiency, to name a few, in our workforce, which contributes to low levels of productivity in organisations,” said AIA chief executive officer Ben Ng.

“There is a clear need for employers to first recognise that a happier and well-rested workforce is a more productive one, and second, to promote interventions that don’t just focus on physical and nutritional health but also mental well-being.

“It is our hope that Malaysia’s Healthiest Workplace by AIA Vitality survey will continue to spur more positive action for the betterment of the Malaysian workforce,” Ng said in his opening speech at the launch earlier.

The survey was offered free-of-charge to Malaysian companies with a minimum force of 20 staff. In return for their participation, companies will receive a detailed organisational health report which helps them understand the health risk factors within their workforce, as well as the effectiveness of their health and wellness interventions.