Mental Health at Work Index™

AXA (Asia and Africa) is pleased to announce it has become the founding principal partner of the landmark Mental Health at Work Index™, the first-ever standardised assessment of organisational programmes and practices supporting workforce mental health that will help set global standards for such efforts. The evidence-based and technology-enabled Index will be developed through the expertise of three leading partners including mental health non-profit One Mind, the Mental Health + Work Design Lab at Columbia University, and Ethisphere, a company that defines and measures corporate ethical standards.

Despite the growing proliferation of mental health offerings, there has until now been no framework to deliver independent data, which is key to providing scientifically supported decision-making and enabling companies to determine how their mental health at work programs correlate with key business performance indicators.

Drawing on the expertise of the three leading partners, the Mental Health at Work Index™ will enable organizations to self-assess and benchmark their mental health programmes using the “3Ps Framework” that covers the continuum of Protection, Promotion and Provision of care. Aligned with global guidance and standards including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the recently released World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the index will also guide companies to improve their workforce mental health efforts based on access to immediate, usable data and resources, such as evidence-based programs and case studies. Over the longer term, there will also be the opportunity to build an aggregated database of best-in-class workplace mental health programmes across industry sectors.

As the founding principal partner of the Index, AXA Asia and Africa is also the Vice Chair of the One Mind at Work Guiding Council and has chaired the Index’s Founding Corporate Council, a coalition of employers that has come together to provide both financial and intellectual support for the initiative. The Founding Corporate Council has been involved in the development of the Index, participated in a beta test of the assessment to review suggested recommendations, and collaborated to identify tools that will help other companies advance their mental health programmes. The Index will launch to the public in early 2023.

This effort builds on AXA’s experience and insight from empowering both customers and employees to improve their mental well-being, including by launching the AXA Study of Mind Health and Wellbeing 2022 to equip individuals and businesses with insights, the Fit to Flourish microsite and video content series to empower and educate on fostering positive mind health, a partnership with Columbia University in 2020 to produce a free resource for leaders on how to manage employee mental health amid the shift to remote work during the pandemic, as well as a range of integrated health offerings that span the full continuum of care.

Gordon Watson, CEO of AXA Asia and Africa said,“We are proud to be the founding principal partner of this pioneering Mental Health at Work Index™, taking a lead in collaborating with One Mind, the Mental Health + Work Design Lab at Columbia University, and Ethisphere. While companies are increasingly stepping up with expanded benefits to support the mental well-being of their people, more is needed when it comes to benchmarking progress made.  The Index will address this critical gap by establishing a guided path for companies to achieve measurable progress in line with global standards. This is essential as companies continue to invest in and refine their mental health initiatives and ultimately deliver better mental health outcomes for employees.”

Mental health at work is a serious issue with its global cost expected to reach $6 trillion by 2030, up from $2.5 trillion in 2010, according to the World Economic Forum. The recent AXA Study of Mind Health and Wellbeing 2022, which identifies 10 skills that together can help people become fit to flourish, also found that only 24% people in 13 Asian and European markets are flourishing at the peak of mental health, versus 32% who are getting by (they may have some areas of good wellbeing but not enough to reach the state of flourishing).

Christina McCarthy, Executive Director of One Mind said, “The pandemic has highlighted the need for companies to invest in sustainable mental health strategies to support their employees. While approaches vary across different companies, the evidenced-based and technology-enabled Mental Health at Work Index™ sets a common standard for the first time, with best practice guidelines on the evaluation of workplace mental health initiatives that are vital in ensuring their success. It also helps equip companies with easy-to-access resources and practical recommendations to support mental health in the workplace in impactful, measurable ways.”