A 2023 survey shows that 80% of employees in East Africa have experienced work-related stress, underscoring the growing mental health crisis in workplaces.
Many employees face unhealthy working conditions, including stigma, discrimination, harassment, and limited independence.
Key stress triggers include job insecurity, financial pressure, poor work-life balance, and limited access to mental health support.
Experts warn that presenteeism, when workers show up but remain unproductive due to mental distress, is twice as costly to employers as absenteeism.
Addressing workplace mental health is therefore not just a moral imperative but also an economic necessity.
