Kenya Reports High Wellbeing with Vitality Score of 79.4, Financial Stress Remains a Pressure Point.

Kenya reports high in vitality according to the Cigna International Health Study 2024, scoring 79.4, while overall wellbeing rose to 61 points from 50 in 2023. However, stress remains a major issue, with 84% of employees reporting high levels of stress, primarily due to rising living costs and financial concerns.

The survey, which included over 10,000 participants from 11 global markets, assessed wellbeing across eight factors: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual. In Kenya, physical wellbeing improved significantly to 64%, up 15 points from last year, while spiritual wellbeing also rose by 5 points.

Financial stress emerged as a critical issue, with 65% of respondents identifying the cost of living and personal finance as their primary sources of stress. Only 17% expressed positive financial wellbeing. Women reported higher stress levels (87%) than men (81%), revealing gender disparities in wellbeing.

Despite these challenges, 57% of Kenyan employees felt that their managers genuinely care about their mental wellbeing, the highest percentage in the MEA region. Family and community support remain crucial in building resilience, with 79% of employees feeling supported by their families.

Leah Cotterill, CEO, Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa (outside KSA), underlined: “This year’s Cigna International Health Study highlights the resilience and strength of the Kenyan workforce. On the one hand, it saw high vitality and physical wellbeing scores while on the other, stress and mental wellbeing challenges continue to persist as a pressing issue. This is a wake-up call to employers to start prioritizing future-focused workplaces that eliminate financial barriers to healthcare while investing in community support systems and mental health support, to mitigate the effects of stress.”

Key Findings of the Cigna International Health Study [Kenya Edition]

• Vitality and Wellbeing: Kenya Vitality scored 79.4 points, down marginally from last year’s 79.9 points, and correspondingly, registered high levels of physical wellbeing – 64%, an increase of 15 points over 2023.

• Mental Wellbeing: Mental wellbeing challenges continue to contribute to declining productivity. Mental wellbeing remains a concern, with a score of 54% for 2024. Women have lower mental wellbeing score compared to men. Financial pressures have led to 51% of responders experiencing sleep disruptions.

• Workplace Wellbeing and Stress: Workplace wellbeing continues to present a challenge for employees in Kenya who scored 44% in 2024, up three points from last year. Working women (89%) are more stressed than working men (81%). While stress among working men has declined by 13 points from the previous year, the drop was less significant in working women (down by six points). On the positive front, 57% of Kenyan employees feel their managers genuinely care for their mental health and wellbeing – the highest in the region.

• Physical Wellbeing: Kenya surged to 64%, significantly above the global average of 44%, driven by notable improvements across multiple health metrics. Kenyan employees reported a healthy weight score of 53 (vs. global average of 36%), a balanced diet scire of 49 (vs. global average of 35) and good quality sleep (vs. global average of 34%). Notably, physical health among women improved by 19% over the last year, with young adults ages 18-24 showing the greater benefits from these wellness efforts.

• Financial Wellbeing: Financial stress is the leading cause of stress, and high living costs are making it increasingly difficult for individuals to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Only 17% of Kenyan employees are positive about their financial wellbeing. Approximately 65% of respondents cited the cost of living and financial insecurity as their main sources of stress.

• Growing Loneliness: While families remain close and contribute significantly to strengthening overall resilience, loneliness is continuing to erode wellbeing. Some 43% of respondent’s report cutting down on socializing while 40% reported losing interest in personal activities as an impact of stress

• Work-structure Instability: With one of the highest rates of nonpermanent employment globally - 23% of Kenyan employees work in nonpermanent positions – there is a dominant feeling of instability and dissatisfaction in the workplace. Only 46% of Kenyan employees expressed satisfaction with their jobs, well below the global average.