Mental well-being is central to the lives of all people and is an important determinant of health that needs to be supported across all stages of life. Increasingly, workplaces have come to the forefront of the well-being literature, as most of the world’s population spend one-third of their adult life at work. In addition, workplaces are key to well-being and can be a positive source of mental well-being. They provide a source of income, can contribute to a sense of identity, and can offer a place to participate in the community. Supporting mental well-being in the workplace can have direct positive effects not only for workers themselves, but also for employers by increasing productivity and improving the reputation of their work place.
Stakeholders in Jordan’s garment sector have acknowledged that worker well-being is a key issue to address, including in the most recent sector-wide collective bargaining agreement. While employers have a mandate to support worker well-being, and the union aspires to do so as well, these actions need further support as well as grounding in data and concrete findings. This report builds on previous research investigating worker well-being in the Jordanian garment industry by adding specific voices and experiences through data gathered in large-scale surveys of workers and managers over the last two years.