We use cookies to give you the best possible online experience. See our cookie policy for more information on how we use cookies and how you can manage them. If you continue to use this website, you are consenting to our policy and for your web browser to receive cookies from our website.
Supporting workforce mental health in Hong Kong and beyond
On 28th February, Aetna hosted a panel discussion on 'Fostering healthy employees and tackling mental wellness in the workplace' at the Conrad Hotel in Hong Kong.
The panelists included Mr Kevin Jones, CEO of Hong Kong, Aetna International; Dr Hannah Reidy, CEO of Mind HK; Dr Charles Brantly, GP from Central Health Medical Practice; and Dr Victoria Tan, Chief Medical Officer of Gleneagles Hospital.
The discussion, which was moderated by HR Magazine, was attended by approximately 30 senior HR executives from across industry.
"Mental health is a topic of growing importance across the world, especially in high-stress environments like Hong Kong. The turnout at this event highlights that organisations are concerned about prioritising the mental health needs of their staff," said Mr Kevin Jones, CEO of Hong Kong, Aetna International.
During the roundtable panel session, guests were eager to discuss current mental health issues in their workplace and how these issues are and are not being addressed. It was agreed that there is still a huge amount of stigma around mental health in Hong Kong. HR employees may not be trained or comfortable enough to deal with emotional or mental issues in the workplace and employees are afraid to speak up thinking they might lose their position at work. It’s a long road but it is important for companies to continue to open up to a topic that impacts most of us and to offer resources to help support employees who may be struggling with anxiety, stress or depression. At Aetna, we have seen an approximately 19 percent increase in annualised claims for psychological and psychiatric services since 2015 across Asia.
The Singapore and Hong Kong markets have seen the largest increases in annualised claims for psychological and psychiatric services since 2015, averaging about 30 percent.
To better tackle this issue and equip industry with relevant knowledge, Aetna partnered with Mind HK to research the state of mental wellness in Hong Kong in 2018.
Today, Aetna’s award-winning Summit health plans for employers offer a built-in Employee Assistance Program (EAP) — at no additional cost — to help companies support the mental well-being of their employees. With the program, Aetna members get access to confidential counselling from behavioural health experts in 200 countries around the world; by phone call, email, web and even chat messaging via an app.
For more information, please contact your regional sales or account manager.
Alternatively, contact your local Aetna International sales team today.
Want to know more?
