AIA Launches Mental Health Solution for Workers

A growing number of people are experiencing mental health problems, which impact many facets of life, notably at work. According to a Relate Malaysia survey, 4.57 million working adults experienced mental health problems in 2018, with 29% of employees reporting poor mental health.

Based on the 2019 Malaysia's Healthiest Workplace by AIA Vitality survey, the country's workforce is becoming more sleep deprived and overworked, with 51% of workers experiencing at least one type of work-related stress and 53% sleeping less than seven hours each night.

Mental Health Solution

AIA has introduced a first-in-market Mental Health Solution with ThoughtFull, a SEA-based digital mental health platform, in response to the need to support organisations in effectively addressing mental health concerns at work. This new approach allows organisations to provide better care and comprehensive support for their employees' mental health.

"We're seeing more and more members of the workforce struggle with mental wellness, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. It is detrimental not only to the individual's emotional wellbeing, but also to the nation's productivity. Organisations who are looking to foster a healthy and happy environment for their employees while staying ahead of their competition would have to play a more active role in addressing mental health issues at the workplace," says Tung Hsiao Ley, Chief Corporate Solutions Officer, AIA Bhd.

The new Mental Health Solution is a component of the WorkWell with AIA initiative, which falls under the insurer's Total Corporate Solutions umbrella. WorkWell with AIA delivers various products and services to organisations looking to nurture and enhance their employees' wellbeing.

The Mental Health Solution has two unique features:

1. Digital Access to Mental Wellness

• Unlimited access to experienced mental health coaches one-on-one for daily bite-sized coaching

• Content for self-directed learning and a wellness tracker

• Programs for mental health, webinars, and workshops

• 24/7 Crisis Intervention Wellness Hotline

2. Mental Health Benefit Coverage

• Employees are covered for consultations, medication, and treatment costs supplied by a Psychiatrist and/or a physician due to a mental health problem.

• Coverage for employees' dependents is included.

• Cashless or reimbursement options are available.

Through a strategic partnership with ThoughtFull, AIA Malaysia is able to offer the services under Mental Wellness. Employees covered by the Mental Health Solution will have access to unlimited 1-on-1 daily coaching with accredited mental wellness professionals.

They will be able to track their levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in real-time, read science-backed digital content, and use mood trackers and facilitated thought journals through the ThoughtFull app.

How AIA provided mental health support to its employees

AIA Malaysia sets an example by engaging ThoughtFull to offer mental health support to its staff at the onset of the pandemic in 2020. AIA employees experienced a 43% average reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress levels after participating in ThoughtFull's employee wellbeing programmes. Furthermore, employees who used the app to connect with a trained mental health expert reported favourable changes in their mood and behaviour.

"It was important for us to be able to support our people to strengthen their resilience so that they could thrive through the multitude of sudden and ongoing changes at work and in their personal lives. We worked with ThoughtFull because of their genuine and seamless approach to mental wellness at the workplace and saw first-hand the benefits it brought to our employees. This only further motivated us to explore how we could bring this service to our own corporate clients," said Hsiao Ley.

Providing seamless solutions to improve mental health in the workplace

AIA's mission as one of the country's top employee benefits insurance providers is to deliver seamless solutions to enhance mental wellbeing in Malaysian firms - reducing stigma and establishing a safe space at work to promote mental health dialogues.

"We've long been advocates of the importance of mental health in the workplace, and we believe that it should be given just as much priority as we do to physical health, which is why we are really excited to partner with ThoughtFull to bring new and innovative mental health services to our corporate clients and their employees, under our WorkWell with AIA proposition.

According to Hsiao Ley, with the launch of AIA's comprehensive Mental Health Solution, they believe they have achieved a breakthrough in responding to a real market need.

"Employers can now feel supported as they prioritise their employees' mental health, giving their people access to support and resources that will help them achieve a better quality of life, resulting in a happier, healthier and more productive workforce," stated Hsiao Ley.

Click here to learn more about AIA's Mental Health Solution.