Hong Kong has ranked in the bottom of APAC and fallen behind neighboring markets India, Mainland China and Singapore in terms of well-being, according the 2022 Cigna 360 Global Well-Being Survey (“Survey”).
Study results sound the alarm about stress and burnout levels in Hong Kong
Among the 1,000 people surveyed in Hong Kong, 87% feel stressed, and 19% find this stress unmanageable, topping all surveyed markets in APAC and ranking the third highest amongst 15 global markets. The top stressor is uncertainty about the future (40%), over one third (34%) are concerned about their personal financial situation, and 22% point to heavy workload as a major cause of stress. Hongkongers are also experiencing burnout (97%), with 39% saying they feel more tired or drained, and 27% more helpless, trapped, or defeated than usual, during the time this research was conducted.
Stress and burnout have deeply affected Hong Kong people’s mental and physical well-being. 47% of stressed respondents had their sleep disrupted, while 35% could not concentrate and focus on tasks. Stressed respondents also said they felt depressed (30%) and emotional (31%).
“Our study shows that mental health issues in Hong Kong, particularly stress and burnout, are pervasive. This paves the way for employers to support mental health issues in the workplace and the wider community. Companies should invest in health plans that also look after their employee’s mental well-being because a healthy workforce will consequently benefit the company performance.” said Jonathan Spiers, Chief Executive Officer of Cigna Hong Kong.
Turning the Great Resignation into Opportunity
Meanwhile, Hong Kong has also fallen victim to “the great resignation” like other surveyed markets. 37% of employees have changed jobs in the past year, and the decision to leave work has become increasingly self-driven (27%), as more than half of the respondents said they have spent more time reevaluating their life priorities as compared to 2 years ago (51%). The trend is expected to continue, as 33% are looking to change jobs over the next year.
When it comes to choosing an ideal employer, workers in Hong Kong are looking for flexibility in working hours and locations, but also value a comprehensive healthcare and life insurance plan to manage their overall health and well-being. Over half desire insurance coverage enhancements for health and body check-ups (59%), 44% are looking for coverage for their spouse or partner and 23% want mental health counselling and support.
There is also higher demand for virtual health consultations in Hong Kong when it comes to mental health support. 22% of respondents in Hong Kong said they prefer virtual engagements for therapy and counselling. This demand is evidenced by the massive increase in the usage of virtual consultation services provided by Cigna, the first medical insurer to tap into telemedicine in 2019 in Hong Kong. Usage of the service increased nearly 80 times between 2019 and Q1 2022, during a time of uncertainty through the pandemic.
“The continuous trend of employees looking to change their jobs signals an opportunity for employers to strengthen their employee value proposition and maintain a competitive edge by upgrading their employee benefits program, a key to attracting and retaining talent. At Cigna, we are committed to helping employers identify innovative and relevant ways to engage workers based on their evolving health needs, and to providing long-term and affordable bespoke health solutions to foster greater employee well-being,” added Jonathan Spiers.
Stress does not only affect one’s mental health, it could also have a negative impact on physical health and potentially lead to chronic illnesses. Please try out Cigna's Stress Care tools here to learn more on stress management.
About the Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey
The eighth edition of the Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey was conducted by Cigna International Markets, in partnership with Kantar, a leading data, insights, and consulting company. More than 11,900 people from Australia, Belgium, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, UAE, UK and USA were surveyed for the research in May this year. It examined five key components – family, financial, physical, social, and work – to uncover the latest trends and challenges for the health and well-being of expats. Online sampling used respondents recruited from panels that undergo rigorous quality control and the panel composition is representative of the adult population in each of the surveyed markets.