THE recent She Leads 3: Elevating the fitness of your mind & body event by Sinar Daily provided a safe space to talk about mental health in the workplace.
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Associate Prof Dr Syaza Shukri who attended the event expressed her enjoyment and anticipation for more discussions on mental health in the workplace.
"I’m very happy. I enjoyed the entire event, the atmosphere, the variety of activities, and the delicious food.
"The topic is both important and relevant and discussing mental health in the workplace is necessary," she said.
In the meantime, another lecturer from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Rabiah Aminuddin, said the topic discussed is highly important and relevant to the challenges women are facing today.
"Women experience significant physical changes every month, yet we are still expected to function as normal.
"We must ensure that women's voices are heard more so that we can make the world a friendlier place for women,” she said.
She added that events like this should be held more frequently with specific topics for women, as they face numerous challenges and must navigate complex issues while balancing everything on their plates.
Other audiences, who prefer to be known as Han and Harris, found the speakers (Kevin Zahri and Yasmin Khan) insightful and appreciated the discussion on mental health and wellness, as it aligns with their interests and activities.
"We're from an advertising agency and also manage events, so it's a great opportunity for us to experience the same industry and network with new connections. It's been a very beneficial exposure for us,” they said.
"Mentally, I enjoyed the topic of how to handle stress and how also it is important to have personal space,” Harris added.
They shared that the most compelling aspect of the event was hearing personal stories from the speakers and the audience. The shared experiences provided valuable insights into situations they might not currently face but could encounter in the future.
Knowing how to seek help and voice their concerns becomes easier when they hear others share their journeys. This, they felt, was the main highlight and takeaway from the event.
"I believe events like this should be held more often to give more people the opportunity to participate and learn how to handle similar situations in their lives,” he said.
She Leads is a meticulously curated series of networking events, providing exclusive opportunities for professional women to build connections and exchange insights on issues faced in the working world.
She Leads 1 started on Feb 27, which discussed Setting Goals and Structure, followed by the second installment of the event with topics related to ‘Dressing Right & Feeling Good’ on May 7.
The next pocket event would take place on August 27 with the title ‘Don't Go Broke in Your Golden Years’, featuring financial and wealth planner Erin Adlina.