• - Junior employees are less happy at work
• - Nearly 80% experienced burnout
• - Over 30% sought mental health support online
• - Nearly 70% support including psychotherapy in employee benefits

- AIA launches market-first free and unlimited counselling platform "MindAid" offering employees on-demand access to professional support

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 18 May 2026 - AIA Hong Kong today released its inaugural AIA Survey of Hong Kong Workplace Wellbeing, which reveals growing physical and mental health pressure across the city's workforce. Respondents rated their workplace happiness at an average of just 65 (out of 100), with scores falling further among respondents in more junior positions.

Nearly eight in 10 respondents reported feeling "emotionally exhausted", "overly tired" or "significantly demotivated at work" over the past month, among which more than 10% said they experienced such symptoms for more than 10 workdays each month. "Heavy workload and long working hours" and "poor work‑life balance" were generally cited as the leading causes of fatigue or depression.

Key findings:

• Almost one in five employees took sick leave in the past year due to mental or emotional health issues. Among them, about 70% said fear of misunderstanding or stigma discouraged them from seeking help.
• Nearly half said they were unsure how to access professional support when facing mental or emotional health challenges.
• Over 30% sought mental health support or information online, while about 35% delayed or avoided counselling or therapy due to perceived cost barriers.
• Nearly 70% agreed that psychotherapy or consultations should be included in company medical coverage or employee benefits.

MindAid – Hong Kong's first free, unlimited psychological counselling service

Many employees continue to view professional mental counselling as costly and time-consuming. In response, AIA Hong Kong has partnered with leading digital healthcare company WhiteCoat¹ to launch MindAid¹, an innovative online mental wellness platform designed for AIA's designated group insurance members in Hong Kong. MindAid provides accessible digital support, encouraging users in need to proactively seek appropriate mental wellbeing support in a timely manner.

MindAid is exclusively available to eligible insured members of AIA Hong Kong group insurance plans and their insured dependants aged 18 or above.² It is the first³ platform in Hong Kong to offer unlimited⁴, free text‑based⁴ mental wellness support. Through the AIA+ mobile app, users can schedule text-chat sessions with qualified psychologists or counsellors⁵ in a private, dedicated setting to express their mental distress.

AIA Hong Kong: Supporting employees' mental health in a more accessible way

Ms Amelie Shen, Chief Corporate Solutions Officer of AIA Hong Kong and Macau, said, "Mental health remains under‑supported in employee benefit schemes, despite its critical role in workplace wellbeing, performance, and productivity. In fast‑paced working environments, emotional needs are often overlooked until issues escalate. Even when employees recognise the need for help, not knowing where to turn and concerns about speaking up remain significant barriers. With the launch of MindAid, AIA Hong Kong aims to address these challenges through a discreet, digital platform that aligns with modern communication habits. By enabling employees to express their emotions more naturally and to connect with professional support when it matters most, we seek to make mental healthcare more accessible and part of everyday working life."

She added: "At AIA Corporate Solutions, we are committed to going beyond traditional group insurance by offering diversified value-added services to employers and employees. Our holistic employee wellness programme 'WorkWell with AIA' covers four pillars: physical health, mental health, financial wellness, and social wellbeing. Integrated with digital tools, the programme embeds health support into daily life. We will continue investing in digital health technology to help employees live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives, while empowering employers in building a more resilient and sustainable talent pool."

Key features of MindAid:

• Unlimited free text-chat mental wellness support with instant booking: Users can select the area of support and book a preferred time slot, with availability as soon as 90 minutes later – significantly reducing waiting time to text-chat with a psychologist or counsellor.
• Mood log: Daily emotion logs help identify triggers, and users can share the records during text-chat sessions for more personalised advice from experts.
• Self‑assessment tools: Built-in internationally recognised DASS‑21 questionnairefor assessing stress, anxiety, and depression levels.
• Wellness resources: Access to articles and videos on mental health and mindfulness to build workplace mental resilience.

Additional survey insights:

• Breakfast habits and mental alertness: Over 75% agreed that having breakfast improves workplace alertness, yet only 60% do so daily on workdays, while nearly 20% said they only eat occasionally or almost never.
• Lunch styles and "recharging" mentally: Over 40% usually prefer having lunch alone, with a similar proportion saying solo meals help them mentally "recharge" and "reset".
• Pressure of instant messaging apps: Nearly 80% continue handling work messages outside official working hours, with half reporting stress from leaving messages unread or unanswered.
• Team culture and job loyalty: More than half have considered leaving their job over a sense of not fitting in with the team culture. Among Gen Z (18–24) workers, 20% have already quit for this reason.

The AIA Survey of Hong Kong Workplace Wellbeing was conducted between 5 and 11 February 2026 among 804 adults aged 18 or above. Results were weighted according to the distribution of Hong Kong's working population. The study was carried out by independent market research consultancy YouGov.

Notes:

1. The Services are provided by the designated independent third-party provider, WhiteCoat Global Holdings Pte. Ltd. ("Service Provider"), and are subject to the terms and conditions as stipulated by the Service Provider. Please read such terms and conditions before using the Services.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions of the relevant policy of AIA's designated group insurance products, the services under MindAid ("Services") are value-added services and do not form part of the contractual benefit and are non-guaranteed. AIA reserves the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Services or any part thereof, the service provider(s) (including the Service Provider) and any terms and conditions relating thereto, at any time without prior notice at AIA's absolute discretion.
3. This is the first unlimited and free text-chat mental wellness support for insured Group Insurance members in Hong Kong based on publicly available information as of May 2026.
4. The text-chat mental wellness support under MindAid will be provided within the designated service hours by the psychologist or the counsellor as designated by the Service Provider subject to availability at the time of support.
5. The Services provide general information for reference only and shall not be considered as a medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If the users have or have had any mental health conditions, or the user is receiving any mental health service, or have doubts or enquiries, they are reminded to seek independent advice from the registered medical practitioners and/or qualified healthcare professionals immediately, and not to ignore or delay seeking medical advice and treatment.