84 per cent of employees in Kenya are highly stressed, a new report by Cigna International Health Study 2024 has revealed.
According to the report, while the overall well-being of Kenyans rose from 50 points in 2023 to 61 points in 2024, 84 per cent of Kenyans are still stressed, with the high cost of living and financial concerns being the major contributors to the stress.
The Cigna International Health Study 2024 surveyed over 10,000 participants from 11 global markets across eight factors in well-being, including emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual.
The report revealed that employed women in Kenya are more stressed than employed men, at 89 per cent for women compared to 81 per cent for working men.
The statistics on working men being less stressed declined by 13 points from the previous year, while the drop was less significant in working women with a drop of only six points.
Furthermore, women have lower mental well-being scores compared to men. The challenge of mental well-being continues to contribute to declining productivity. According to the study, mental well-being remains a concern, with a score of 54 per cent for 2024.
On the bright side, 57 per cent of Kenyan employees feel their managers genuinely care for their mental health and well-being – the highest in the region. Kenyans are unable to maintain a healthy lifestyle due to financial stress and the high cost of living.
Most employees are unstable in their employment with Kenya having the highest rates of nonpermanent employment globally at 23 per cent. There is a dominant feeling of instability and dissatisfaction in the workplace.
Only 17 per cent of Kenyan employees are positive about their financial well-being. Approximately 65 per cent of respondents cited the cost of living and financial insecurity as their main sources of stress.
The vitality and liveliness of Kenyans have also dropped from 79.9 points in 2023 to 79.4 points. The physical well-being of Kenyans has however increased significantly.
Kenya recorded a 64 per cent surge in physical well-being compared to the global average of 44 per cent. The improvement in physical well-being has been driven by notable improvements across multiple health metrics.
Kenyan employees reported a healthy weight score of 53 per cent versus the global average of 36 per cent. Generally, 49 per cent of Kenyans have a balanced diet score compared to a global average of 35 per cent and good quality sleep compared to a global average of 34 per cent.
Physical health among women improved by 19 per cent over the last year, with young adults ages 18-24 showing the greater benefits from these wellness efforts.
The report revealed that Kenyan families are lonely. While families remain close and contribute significantly to strengthening overall resilience, loneliness is continuing to erode wellbeing.
43 per cent of the respondents of the survey revealed that they were cutting down on socializing while 40 per cent reported losing interest in personal activities as an impact of stress.
