EXPERTS AT IGCF 2023: ADDRESS MENTAL WELLBEING AND DEVELOP SOFT SKILLS TO HELP NATIONS PROSPER

‘Talks Shaping Communities’ series organised by Sharjah’s Department of Statistics and Community Development at IGCF 2023 focus on the need for governments to boost internal communication ● HE Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulla Al Thani: ‘When it comes to improving work-life balance, Sharjah is already a pioneer’.

Sharjah’s Department of Statistics and Community Development (DSCD) continued to lead insightful discussions on the second day of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) 2023, in Expo Centre Sharjah, as part of its comprehensive two-day series titled ‘Talks Shaping Communities’ at the forum, which featured experts in health, well-being, community development, entrepreneurship, and other sectors vital to sustainable development. 

The discussion on Thursday spotlighted two crucial modern-day dilemmas - the importance of mental health and how developing soft skills are imperative for economic growth.

At a talk titled ‘Prioritising Wellbeing and Mental Health: A Catalyst for Flourishing Economies and Societies’, a panel of experts agreed that mental wellbeing directly influences the health of any economy.

‘When it comes to improving work-life balance, Sharjah is already a pioneer’
“Physical activity impacts mental health,” said HE Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulla Al Thani, Chairman of Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club & Founder and Chairman of Sharjah Paintball Park. “When it comes to improving work-life balance, Sharjah is already a pioneer, with the three-day weekend. But, use the weekend wisely”, he advised.  

Encouraging people to switch phones off from time to time, Al Thani insisted people must talk about mental problems. “We are humans. We have good and bad days. What I do is, make lists of the things that centre me. And when I have a bad day, I open this list and, for example, if it says ‘go do yoga’, ‘go meditate’ or ‘go to the desert’, I do that. This helps bring me back to a better frame of mind.”

“I cannot agree more about the benefits of yoga, meditation and sports,” added HE Dr. Layla AlHyas, Executive Director, Community Development at Department of Community Development, Abu Dhabi, who was also leading this talk alongside Al Thani. “Our department launched an initiative to support the physical wellbeing of the elderly. We trained volunteers and used the ‘nudge’ method to motivate them to exercise. The outcome was amazing. Along with physical activity, mental wellbeing also improved.”

Talking openly about mental health: The first step to improving it   
Dr Khalid Ghattas, Scientist, Researcher, and Social Media Influencer noted that several studies and pieces of research have concluded that mental wellbeing is the foremost enabler of happiness. Stressing on the direct correlation between jobs people choose and their impact on mental health, he noted: “A study about the mortality rate by days of the week indicated that most deaths occur on Mondays. The simple reason is that it's the first day of the work week. Millions die on this day due to depression caused by work pressures and their reluctance to wake up and head to work”.  

Ghattas further emphasised that the first step to promoting mental wellbeing lay in removing the stigma surrounding it. “In one of my interviews, I said I was close to depression. After that a lot of people started contacting me saying it allowed them to feel it is okay to talk about their issues and seek professional care.”

Adaptability, resilience, curiosity: Soft skills that are key to success 
How essential are soft skills for economic prosperity was the topic of discussion during the second DSDC session, ‘Bridging the soft skills gap’. 

Dawn Metcalfe, Workplace Culture Advisor and Founder of PDSi, addressed the session, saying: “Several business owners are of the opinion that while young people coming into the workforce are technically proficient and have the right qualifications, they don’t necessarily know how to behave, they do not turn up on time, dress properly, they don’t know how to communicate effectively. Truth is, nothing gets done in an organisation unless you can persuade people that you are right”.

“Anyone can graduate and get a job but does that mean you are doing it well?” asked HE Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah Digital Office (SDO) adding, “adaptability, resilience, curiosity - these are the soft skills that are key to being successful.”

“I don’t think the demand for soft skills has changed since dinosaurs roamed the planet. When we look to hire a person, we look more at their capabilities than their qualifications,” said Abdullah Abu-Sheikh, entrepreneur, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Astra Tech, and CEO of BOTIM.

Held under the theme ‘Today's Resources, Tomorrow's Wealth’ IGCF 2023 was held on 13-14 September at Expo Centre Sharjah.