By Jean Baptiste Ndabananiye
In this investigation— Uncovering gaps—Rwanda’s employee mental health policy: minimal implementation demands urgent action , Life In Humanity promised that it would come back to the Workplace Wellness Program with more details exclusively about it. Today, we keep that promise. At the center of this follow-up is Rwanda’s Workplace Wellness Program, a national initiative launched to elevate employee health, productivity, and retention. While the program represents a significant step toward integrating mental health into workplace structures, beyond it lies a reality shaped by silence, stigma, and deep-rooted social norms which must be addressed.
Anonymity and cultural barriers to mental health
“There are institutions which have already hired employees responsible for the health of employees, including mental health,” Dr. Jean Damascène Iyamuremye— the Director of Psychiatric Care Unit at Rwanda Biomedical Center—has has recently told Life In Humanity. “The most critical challenge that the program must consider is culture. If the program is to involve mental health professionals in workplaces, the second major barrier is trust-related.”
The latter words are those spoken by a staff member— of an international organization working in psychotherapy—whom this article features, but won’t identify. The reason is that his statements are highly personal and critical of workplace culture, societal norms, and leadership attitudes toward mental health. Revealing his identity could expose him to professional backlash, among others, especially given the candid judgment of leaders and organizations. Preserving his anonymity allows the insights to be shared openly without putting him at personal risk.
This program that he has mentioned is the Workplace Wellness Program— officially launched by MIFOTRA in partnership with the Ministry of Health, RSSB (Rwanda Social Security Board), and PSF— an initiative intended to elevate employee health, productivity, and retention.
He continues “Rwandese, especially men, in our culture it is uncommon for us to openly address sensitive private issues—what we call ‘kwimena inda [which literally signifies ‘break one’s belly’; here, which means revealing or disclosing something deeply personal, painful, or shameful—often a secret, trauma, or emotional burden]. Our culture teaches us to confront difficulties patiently and with pride [maintaining your dignity, self-worth, self-respect by not not exposing your weaknesses or vulnerabilities].
The culture encourages us to overcome them manly. As a result, men often feel uncomfortable sharing their tragic experiences or the problems they face. However, this only compounds their mental health struggles. While the culture is evolving and attitudes are slowly changing, this barrier still persists.”
To clarify, he adds “If the program is to involve mental health professionals in workplaces, the second major barrier is trust-related. Personally, I would find it very difficult to fully trust these professionals—especially if they are part of our own organization. To what extent will I trust the professional in our organization, so that I will feel comfortable relating my personal issues—mental health struggles to someone I work with?
Because—probably I won’t call it outright stigma but maybe a form of stigma—we perceive mental health conditions as a sign of weakness. We don’t treat them like we treat other illnesses—like malaria, or stumbling and getting wounded and then being treated and healed. When we see a person struggling with mental health issues, rather than seeing them as an individual dealing with a health issue, we see them as different.”
He explains “We label them as mad or unreasonably aggressive. Though we don’t speak about it publicly, we do so in private conversations. Within familiar circles, we whisper things like ‘That person has gone mentally unstable,’ or ‘They speak rudely out of their being mentally deranged.’ We assign them a range of negative attributes, reinforcing the silence and shame around mental health. The program ought to deal with it too.
Even organizations’ leaders view you like an incompetent person when they know that you are grappling with mental health conditions. This reflects a broader reality in society. Even ordinary people—not just employees—are usually unwilling to seek mental health support, fearing negative labeling.”
What then ensues? “As a result, those who seek help from mental health practitioners in healthcare institutions often do so secretly. On one hand, if others see me entering the office of the mental health practitioner at work, they will assume that I’m mentally unhealthy. From that assumption, they will wrongly conclude that I’ve lost certain faculties. Even a leader—if they see me going into that office—will assume I’m suffering from a mental health disorder and therefore incapable of performing. In reality, it’s the leaders who need awareness more than us, the subordinates.
On the other hand, I won’t believe that the professional won’t reveal to the leader that I am mentally unwell. Even if the professional didn’t disclose it, I wouldn’t trust them; discouraging me to seek support from them. Since as I have highlighted it, they will brand you negatively, saying ‘Behold the always mentally deranged and incapable person’. So, the program has to focus more on the leaders, non-governmental organizations, private establishments and even government agencies.”
Organizations— required to hire mental health professionals?
Rather than hiring a mental health professional, the anonymous employees suggests regular mental health awareness sessions. “Since hiring a mental health professional in workplaces can be costly for some organizations as it demands a budget, I move that they don’t stick to it especially at the beginning of this program, they should instead emphasize upon mental health awareness and support sessions within workplaces.
At a minimum, every organization should conduct at least one such session quarterly. These sessions would not only raise awareness but also create safe spaces for employees to openly share challenges, learn coping strategies, and strengthen mutual support. Over time, this consistent effort can gradually normalize conversations around mental health and prepare the ground for more advanced intervention.”
Boniface Bagabe serves as the Occupational Safety and Health Promotion Specialist for the Ministry of Public Service and Labor—MIFOTRA. If the program is to recommend or order organizations to hire a mental health professional, we have recently asked him how the program will ensure that employees trust these professionals. He has replied “The program is not recommending to hire a mental health professional but the employers are advised to provides support through trained occupational Safety and health Committees.
OSH Committees: as mandated by Article 78 of Law No. 66/2018 of 30/08/2018 regulating labour in Rwanda and reinforced by the Ministerial Order No. 02/MIFOTRA/23 of 01/08/2023, these committees are responsible for promoting and monitoring health and safety practices within institutions. In case further support is needed, external mental health providers may be contracted. There is also a need for awareness campaigns to normalize help-seeking behavior and training for leaders to avoid discriminatory attitudes.”
Measures in place to enable the program to operate successfully
Despite longstanding frameworks designed to safeguard employee well-being, challenges have persisted in effectively implementing workplace mental health initiatives. OSH Committees, established under instruments such as the 17/05/2012 Ministerial Order, have provided a structured mechanism for monitoring and promoting employee health and safety. Yet, the mere existence of these committees has not fully solved the cultural, trust, stigma-related and other barriers that the Workplace Wellness Program seeks to overcome.
We have asked Bagabe ways devised to ensure the success of the pram and he has answered “The committees may exist but not functioning, the program will ensure these committees are established and capacitated to accomplish their responsibilities with the employers commitment.”
He has proceeded on with actions formulated to transform the program into a success. “The following are actions to be implemented by every Public and Private Institution: conduct annual capacity building of OSH committees; conduct annual workplace risk assessment to identify potential risks and ensure their prevention; establish workplace safety and health policy and its implementation plan; conduct ergonomic assessment at workplace and implement necessary actions, enhance physical activities at workplace.
Promote nutrition and health diet; conduct annual health surveillance/Medical checkups; establishment of health corner at workplace; ensure workplace emergency preparedness; establish Early Childhood Development Center (ECD); conduct awareness among employees on the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse; conduct awareness among employees on the prevention of harassment and violence; promote work-life balance.”
He also explains the reason why the national policy has not produced expected results and why the current program will certainly succeed. “Despite existing frameworks like the OSH National Policy and Ministerial Order No. 02/MIFOTRA/23 of 01/08/2023, enforcement has been weak due to: limited institutional capacity and lack [of] awareness among employers about OSH and wellness obligations
The wellness program addresses these by operationalizing policy through concrete, measurable activities ; mainstreaming wellness into HR practices and organizational culture ; providing tools and training to employers and OSH Committees ; creating a unified monitoring framework to track progress.”
To elucidate the aspect of tools and training to employers and OSH Committees, he says “Here I mean that MIFOTRA and RBC in collaboration with other stakeholders are developing a simplified but comprehensive teaching materials that will be used to train OSH members of OSH Committees—benchmarking from the Community Health Workers experience. We believe that is possible to train these committees to be able provide some medical intervention to conduct some health medical checkups like taking blood pressure measurement and blood glucose test and provide advice to employees.”
What about the unified monitoring framework? “Employer reporting: all employers are required to submit quarterly reports to the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA) detailing the implementation status of the wellness program within their institutions.
Monitoring Authority: MIFOTRA is the lead institution responsible for centralized monitoring of the program’s progress. Labour Inspectors [MIFOTRA’s workers], empowered under Law No. 66/2018, are tasked with verifying the accuracy of employer reports through on-site inspections and follow-up assessments.”
Resources and mechanisms in place to support the program
“There is no specific fund allocated to implement the wellness program, as its primary goal is to raise awareness about already existing legal obligations related to occupational safety, health, and employee well-being,” says Bagabe, before adding “However, the program is supported by strategic partnerships that enhance accessibility through insurance-based models. For example: EDPU Africa, a partner in the wellness initiative, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB).
Under this arrangement, when EDPU Africa delivers services such as health screenings, RSSB Health Insurance (RAMA) covers 85% of the service cost for its insured members. In addition, the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, in partnership with RBC, RSSB, PSF, and Trade Unions, is actively mobilizing funds to train Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Committees. These committees play a vital role in cascading wellness awareness and ensuring that the program remains integrated and functional across all sectors.”
Will the program become an enforceable law?
Bagabe responds “The Workplace Wellness Program is not intended to replace the existing legal framework. Instead, it will be enforced through existing labour laws and instruments, ensuring alignment with national standards on occupational safety and health.”
Ensuring that a workplace wellness programs is more than just a guideline requires a system of clear accountability and structured oversight. In this respect, the enforcement of Rwanda’s employee wellness program relies on multiple mechanisms designed to embed compliance into the very fabric of organizational operations, according to Bagabe.
He explains “Enforcement relies on the following mechanisms: OSH Committees: as mandated by Article 78 of Law No. 66/2018 of 30/08/2018 regulating labour in Rwanda and reinforced by the Ministerial Order No. 02/MIFOTRA/23 of 01/08/2023, these committees are responsible for promoting and monitoring health and safety practices within institutions. Labour Inspectors: empowered under Law No. 66/2018, inspectors are tasked with monitoring compliance with labour standards, including the implementation of wellness-related obligations.
Quarterly reporting: employers are required to submit regular reports on the implementation of the Workplace Wellness Program, ensuring transparency and traceability of efforts. Penalties for Non-Compliance: as stipulated in Article 23, paragraph 3 of Ministerial Order No. 001/19.20 of 17/03/2020 relating to labour inspection, failure to comply with workplace obligations may result in administrative sanctions, reinforcing accountability across sectors.”
Bagabe firmly concludes “The program is feasible as it is aligned with both national and internation standards.”
If the program succeeds, it will certainly produce great results
The World Health Organization— in its September 2024 story “Mental Health at Work”— points out “Globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.”The economy expert and analyst, Dr. Rusa Bagirishya, strongly urges “All employers should emulate Japanese employers.” Meanwhile, the mining business—GAMICO—is setting an unmatched benchmark in Rwanda, while the government affirms its readiness to implement massive action on its own front. For more on this, you can read our preceding article already mentioned at the very beginning.
Bagabe underscores “Employee mistreatment and poor mental health in Rwanda’s workforce lead to significant economic and human capital losses, though precise national figures are limited. Evidence shows high stress levels, absenteeism, presenteeism, and low disclosure rates, all of which reduce productivity and strain health and insurance systems. Mistreatment also fuels high turnover, recruitment costs, and disengagement.”
“The recent research by RBC reveals the following statistics: 60% of employees experience mental health issues triggered by work. 31% of the workforce has been formally diagnosed with a mental health condition. Nearly a third of employees are absent due to mental health concerns. Two-thirds do not disclose the real reason for their absence. About 25% have contemplated suicide at some point. Only 13% feel safe disclosing mental health issues to a manager. Just 24% of managers have received mental health training.”
According to Bagabe, beyond these figures, the research highlights systemic contributors such as toxic organizational culture (poor communication, weak leadership support), ambiguous roles and career uncertainty, overwork, unpaid overtime, inflexible schedules, excessive time pressure, and low decision autonomy
“The effects are both personal and institutional: absenteeism rise, leading to lost hours and lower output. Employee disengagement increases, undermining innovation and morale. Burnout and chronic stress escalate, harming long-term health and retention. Trust in leadership deteriorates when staff feel unsupported or dismissed. This environment also discourages people from seeking help, reinforcing a cycle where symptoms worsen silently, and early intervention becomes harder.”
It is conspicuous that if the Workplace Wellness Program succeeds, it will assuredly produce great outcomes—both for employees and for Rwanda’s economy. The World Health Organization reminds us that globally, 12 billion working days are lost each year due to depression and anxiety, costing an estimated US$1 trillion annually in lost productivity. Rwanda is not immune to this reality. As Dr. Bagirishya emphasizes, employers must draw lessons from global best-practices, while homegrown pioneers like GAMICO are already pioneering benchmarks within the country.
Evidence gathered by RBC reveals the urgency: 60% of employees experience work-related mental health challenges; 31% have received formal diagnoses; and nearly one-third of the workforce takes absences linked to mental health. Yet two-thirds conceal the real reasons for their absence, only 13% feel safe disclosing mental health struggles to a manager, and less than a quarter of managers have received any training in handling such issues. These figures translate into lost productivity, higher recruitment costs, disengagement, and burnout—costs that ripple across institutions and the broader economy.
If the program is implemented effectively, however, it can break this cycle—reducing absenteeism, boosting morale, fostering trust in leadership, and transforming workplaces into environments where employees thrive. The gains would extend beyond health, translating into stronger productivity, innovation, and long-term national competitiveness.