Australian employees face highest stress levels in Asia Pacific region

People & Culture: An economic powerhouse, the Asia Pacific region has a reputation for hard work. Australians report experiencing stress an average of 12 times per week, making the country the most stressed in the Asia-Pacific region. The findings reveal that more than half (57%) of Australian workers believe stress adversely impacts their work performance.

ADP’s flagship People at Work 2024 Report ranks Australia highest for stress levels in the Asia-Pacific region, with India trailing closely behind at an average of 11 times per week.

Judy Barnett, Operations Director at ADP Australia, stated, “While many Australian businesses continue to prioritise the mental well-being of their employees, our data shows that there is still room for improvement.

“Even with strategic workplace programs in place, the lack of personal support and networks on the ground can still lead to poor mental health, which can negatively impact an employee’s engagement, job satisfaction, and workplace productivity.”

Despite increased awareness of the importance of mental health, especially during World Mental Health Month 2024, many Australian workplaces still struggle to support employees effectively in this area. This persistent stress not only hampers productivity but also significantly affects employees’ mental health.

SafeWork NSW emphasises that rising stress levels among workers can lead to serious mental and physical health consequences. For organisations, this often results in increased absenteeism, sick leave, and higher staff turnover rates.

Furthermore, The Black Dog Institute has identified the primary causes of work-related mental stress in Australia: work pressure (31%), work-related harassment and/or bullying (27%), and workplace violence (14%). These statistics underline the strong connection between workplace stress and the broader mental health challenges faced by employees.

Conversely, the World Health Organisation recently estimated that effective management of employee health and well-being can boost performance by more than 2.5 times. This highlights the crucial link between workers’ well-being, mental health, and productivity.

Barnett further advised, “Employers should consider re-evaluating existing mental health programs, normalising conversations around mental health, and providing resources to help workers improve their skills in managing conversations in this sensitive space.

“Implementing or improving valuable third-party resources, such as an Employee Assistance Program, is also an excellent way to provide confidential support and help handle difficult conversations.”

In reimagining healthcare across the entire patient journey, Health Industry Hub^TM is the only one-stop-hub uniting the diversity of the Pharma, MedTech, Diagnostics & Biotech sectors to inspire meaningful change.

The Health Industry Hub^TM content is copyright protected. Access is available under individual user licenses. Please click here to subscribe and visit T&Cs here.