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82 percent of employees surveyed are at moderate to high risk of developing mental health issues
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54 percent believe their career options would be limited if their employer knew they had a mental illness
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – September 14, 2023 –
Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a global leader in professional services, in collaboration with a global healthcare leader
TELUS Health, released the first Aon TELUS Health Asia Mental Health Index report, which explores workplace mental health and its impact on productivity across 12 Asian countries. The report finds that 82 percent of workers in Asia are at high (35 percent) to moderate (47 percent) mental health risk, highlighting a growing concern about workplace well-being in Asia.
The report’s findings aim to improve understanding of employee mental health risks and help businesses make better decisions to manage employee mental health and increase workforce resilience. The high likelihood of workers developing a mental problem – 30 percent of those who reported being at high risk and 7 percent of those at moderate risk – means there is an increased risk of reduced productivity and financial risk for organizations.
Stress, anxiety and burnout lower productivity at work
Key findings on workplace productivity showed that 45 per cent of respondents in the region say their mental health is having a negative impact on their work while stress, anxiety and burnout are on the rise. Additional results include:
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Fifty-one percent of employees reported feeling more susceptible to stress this year than last year.
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45% of them believe that their colleagues are showing more signs of stress this year.
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Additionally, thirty-three percent of workers currently have difficulty focusing on their work.
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Forty-seven percent reported ending their day feeling mentally and/or physically exhausted.
Asian workers facing increasing work, family and social pressures, stigma surrounding mental health and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to worsening mental health. Public self-stigma and self-stigma are a major problem for workplaces and society in Asia. The report reveals that 54 percent of employees believe their career options would be limited if their employer knew they had a mental health problem, while 49 percent said they would worry about friends and family treating them differently and 49 percent said they would experience negative feelings about their mental health. themselves.
“Organizations that fail to implement support structures or choose to ignore the impact of mental health in their workplace will find that doing nothing comes at a significant cost,” said Tim Dwyer, chief executive from Health Solutions, Asia Pacific, Aon. “Supporting employee well-being is necessary for organizations to maintain high levels of engagement and productivity to deliver measurable ROI. Lack of support and stigma attached to mental health issues are key barriers to why employee mental health issues remain unresolved. address these issues head on while developing an integrated strategy informed by data and insights.
Difficulties accessing mental health support
Timely intervention and support could help avoid the consequences of poor mental health such as absenteeism, loss of productivity and talent attrition. However, several factors make it difficult for employees to seek help. The report found that 43 percent of respondents cited cost as the biggest barrier to getting mental health support. A lack of information and knowledge about where to get help is also widespread among those surveyed, with almost a third not knowing what type of care they need or where to go. This group also ranked stigma among their top four responses regarding barriers to getting support and said they were concerned about what others would think of them for having a mental health problem.
“The prevalence of overwhelming and crippling stress levels in the workplace simply cannot be ignored; far too many people in Asia face high levels of stress, anxiety, isolation and depression, which has a direct correlation to productivity at work,” said Jamie MacLennan, CEO of APAC , TELUS Health. “Many businesses still do not take the mental health of their staff seriously and, if it is not addressed and supported, this will lead to reduced productivity and increased absenteeism and presenteeism. Addressing staff mental health and wellbeing is no longer a ‘good thing’, but rather a ‘business imperative.’
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