Page 18 - Turkinsurance Digital Magazine

18 at a glance

Global Mental Health Is Sounding The Alarm

employees reported having trustworthy work relationships,
while in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, this figure
ranges between 52% and 55%.

According to the report, one in two employees in 2024 either
delayed or completely avoided seeking medical assistance.
Barriers to accessing mental health services remain both
regional and individual. For example, in Singapore, only
13% of employees have access to EAP (Employee Assistance
Program) services, whereas in Australia and New Zealand,
this figure is close to 50%.

Significant Loss in Productivity

The impact of mental health on job performance has reached
The Global Employee Assistance Summit 2025, which striking levels. When looking at the percentage of employees
brought together over 200 participants from 45 countries, experiencing productivity loss, Singapore ranks the highest
was held in Istanbul with the aim of advancing approaches to at 41%, while Australia reports the lowest at 31%. Among
support employee mental health, sharing best practices, and individuals with a diagnosed mental health condition, these
promoting sustainable support systems in the workplace. The losses are significantly greater. For example, employees in
summit hosted a wide range of participants, including human Singapore diagnosed with anxiety experience an average
resources professionals, psychologists, corporate leaders, and productivity loss of 71 workdays per year, while their
academics. Representing Türkiye, AVİTA had the opportunity counterparts in Europe lose around 76 workdays annually. The
to share its expertise and field experience on this international quality of employer support for employees with mental health
platform.
challenges emerges as a critical factor. Employees who rate
their employer’s physical well-being support as “excellent”
The Global Mental Health Crisis Is Deepening
report an average of 43 days of lost productivity annually,
whereas those who rate this support as “poor” report up to 80
Data shared at the summit revealed that working adults— days. A similar gap is observed in mental well-being support:
particularly in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Europe-Middle employees who receive mental health support report 37 lost
East-Africa (EMEA) regions—are facing serious mental days, while those without access report an average of 79 lost
health risks. According to the *Mental Health Index* report days.
by TELUS Health, psychological distress is rapidly increasing
among young adults, service sector employees, and individuals A Shift in Priorities: Pay Raise or Mental Health Sup-
without emergency savings. port?

A significant portion of employees reported feeling more Studies conducted in Singapore and South Korea reveal that
angry, insecure, and socially isolated, with these feelings being nearly half of employees would prefer a stronger mental health
especially pronounced among younger workers and those with support system over a 10% salary increase. In other regions,
low financial security. These emotional challenges appear this preference ranges between 30% and 35%.
to be most concentrated among service sector employees.
Additionally, employees without emergency savings showed Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Intervention Yields
lower mental health scores—highlighting a direct link between Clear Gains in Productivity
financial security and psychological resilience.
The summit emphasized that Employee Assistance Programs
The Silent Decline of Team Spirit: Traces of Social Trust (EAPs) significantly improve employee functionality and
Deficiency
positively influence life satisfaction. It was also highlighted
that the cost of “doing nothing” could become extremely
Another key topic highlighted at the summit was the lack of high for companies in the coming years. As the younger
trust-based relationships in the workplace. Employees working workforce ages, the risk is expected to deepen, and without
in environments where trust is weak tend to feel more isolated proper intervention, organizations may face substantial losses
and lonely, which in turn negatively affects engagement, in areas such as productivity, engagement, and employee
motivation, and overall job satisfaction. The absence of trust satisfaction.
amplifies feelings of loneliness. In Singapore, only 45% of