TELUS Health has released its TELUS Mental Health Index with reports that examine the mental health of employed people in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia. The American report reveals that physically active workers lose 14 fewer workdays of productivity annually than their sedentary counterparts. The report also finds that workers dissatisfied with their physical score 25 points lower in mental health than satisfied workers and lose an additional 21 working days in productivity annually.
“There is a clear link between physical activity, employer support, and employee well-being,” says Paula Allen, global leader of research and client insights at TELUS Health. “At TELUS Health, we’ve seen that supported, active employees have better mental health and higher productivity—outcomes for which every business owner thrives. This underscores the need for organizations to prioritize well-being as a strategic pillar of business success. By integrating robust support systems like employee assistance programs (EAPs) and physical health and well-being programs into workplace culture, companies can create a more resilient, engaged, and productive workforce.”
Additional key findings from the Mental Health Index include the following.
- Women are 40% more likely than men to report a negative experience with the healthcare system.
- Workers perceiving poor employer support for their physical well-being lose 23 more workdays of productivity annually and score 21 points lower in mental health than those perceiving excellent support.
- Stress reduction motivates 10% of workers to exercise.
- Employees without emergency funds are 75% more likely to seek stress reduction, two and a half times more likely to report anxiety, and nearly three times more likely to report depression diagnoses.
- Workers under 40 are 80% more likely than workers over 50 to report stress reduction as the biggest motivator for participating in physical activity.
- Approximately 7% of workers never engage in physical activity.
- One in 10 workers report engaging in activities that promote social well-being.
- One in five (20%) of employees report anxiety, 15% report a cardiovascular or circulatory issue, 15% report depression, and 12% report sleep disorders.
“Physical activity has such a tremendous impact on our overall wellbeing,” says Renée Cavallaro, senior clinical director, U.S., at TELUS Health. “It’s easy to only connect it to physical health, but the impact of regular activity on mental health is not to be overlooked. We need to think of wellbeing holistically, because the interconnectivity between the different health facets cannot be dismissed. Beyond the individual benefits, organizations should be looking at what they can do to motivate their workforce to move, as there are direct impacts to business. Not only does increasing physical activity positively impact productivity, it also reduces burnout; a physically active workforce has a direct benefit to the bottom line.”
While many workplaces offer EAPs that could help support employees in this situation, TELUS Health research reveals that two in five workers in the U.S. lack knowledge of what an EAP entails. The mental health scores of workers who don’t know or report that their employer doesn’t offer an EAP is more than three points lower than workers with an EAP.
