Key takeaways
- Holistic wellbeing works. A whole-person wellbeing approach that addresses mental, physical and financial health together drives better employee outcomes than fragmented wellness perks.
- Financial stress impacts mental health. Sixty-six per cent of Australians feel financially stressed, and 88 per cent of workers with moderate or severe financial stress say it affects their workplace productivity.
- Legal duties are rising. Australian employers have a legal obligation to manage psychosocial risks and ensure psychological safety in the workplace under Work Health and Safety laws.
- Technology reduces barriers. Digital tools and artificial intelligence can help employees access support faster with fewer obstacles.
- Gen Z values holistic support. Younger workers actively seek employers who offer integrated mental health programs that address multiple aspects of wellbeing.
In Australia, supporting employee wellbeing is no longer optional. Under Work Health and Safety laws, employers must eliminate or minimise psychosocial hazards and create a workplace that supports psychological safety, values diversity and fosters belonging.
For Australian employers, business leaders and HR teams, that makes a holistic workplace wellbeing strategy a practical business and compliance priority. Mental, physical and financial health are deeply connected, and when employers address them together rather than in silos, they can help reduce the productivity, retention and legal risks that come with stress, burnout and poor support.
Research shows the scale of this challenge. According to research, 66 per cent of Australians feel mildly, moderately or severely financially stressed. Even more striking, 88 per cent of workers who experience moderate or severe financial stress say their finances directly affect their productivity at work. On average, employees in Australia spend 11 hours every month at work dealing with personal financial matters.
A holistic workplace wellbeing strategy recognises these connections. This approach works better than isolated wellness perks because it integrates support across mental, physical and financial health.
Meet Dr. Matthew Chow, Chief Mental Health Officer, TELUS Health
Dr. Chow is a physician and medical specialist in psychiatry with more than 15 years of experience. He helps shape TELUS Health’s mental health, wellbeing and innovation strategy around the world. A key contributor to our strategic thought leadership initiatives, Dr. Chow actively participates on boards and forums focusing on health research, community health, wellbeing interventions and executive leadership.
Dr. Chow’s mission is to advance physical, mental and financial wellbeing for individuals and organisations worldwide. In this article, he talks about his role at TELUS Health and shares his views on how organisations can better support employee wellbeing.
Interview: Building a holistic workplace wellbeing strategy
Q: What inspired you to join TELUS Health?
A: I spent 15 years in practice and medical leadership before joining TELUS Health in 2021. I wanted to make a difference on a larger scale. Working here allows me to help improve employee wellbeing for millions of people across the globe.
Q: What are the main focus areas in your role?
A: My main goal is to shape our global care and wellbeing strategies. I focus on three key areas:
- Global workplace evolution. I study how economic shifts, multi-generational workplaces and new technologies have been impacting workplaces worldwide. It’s critical that we understand how global factors are impacting employee wellbeing, so we can learn how to better support them.
- Artificial intelligence implementation in healthcare. Digital tools can make it much easier to access care and improve health outcomes. I’m interested in seeing how we can integrate privacy, security, bioethics and human aspects into trustworthy A.I.
- Global health innovations. I help design unique products and services that focus on holistic health – mental, physical and financial – that can be scaled worldwide. A true whole-person wellbeing strategy recognises that financial stress directly impacts mental health and workplace performance, so employers need wellbeing initiatives that address all three areas to see real results.
Q: What is your vision for the future of healthcare?
A: I see a future where healthcare focuses on connection. We need to remove the barriers that stop people from getting help.
To do this, we must make health data accessible and meaningful. We also need to use digital tools to reduce the friction in the healthcare journey. When we make care easier to reach, we improve workplace mental health.
Q: What do you love most about your role with TELUS Health?
A: My favourite part is the variety of ways that I support people’s wellbeing. In a single week, I might record a podcast about workplace wellbeing trends, help a health startup grow, or collaborate on a health AI project. I also spend time helping corporate and government leaders meet their business and wellbeing goals.
Q: How does your work positively impact employees?
A: As a doctor, I know how clinical care helps individuals and families. My role at TELUS Health is to translate that into something that can benefit millions of people. I help shape products and services that make it easier to access care, to take control of one’s own health, to prevent illness, and ultimately to thrive.
Q: How do you and your team help organisations build healthier workplaces?
A: We work hard to remove the obstacles that contribute to suboptimal business and wellbeing outcomes. We create digital products that make it easier and more intuitive to access wellbeing support anywhere, anytime, in any language. Practical steps include building manager capability through targeted training programs so leaders can better support employee mental health.
We also lean into A.I. to expand the capacity of our human experts, in order to reach more people and break down barriers to accessing help and advice. We keep a close eye on threats to workplace wellbeing such as social isolation, chronic disease burden, intergenerational differences, change fatigue, and yes, even uncertainty around A.I.
We help organisations understand where they stand with respect to their own teams, their own data, and trends in their industries – so that they can make decisions that drive measurable outcomes and strengthen the case for investing in employee wellbeing.
Q: What is your main message to employers who want to support workplace mental health?
A: The biggest risk facing organisations is not taking the mental health crisis seriously, and taking steps to understand how they can support a multi-generation workforce with tailored initiatives.
For example, Gen Z workers highly value mental health benefits, mental health days and clear boundaries. According to the 2025 TELUS Mental Health Barometer, 41 per cent of workers in Australia under 40 feel constant stress, compared to older age groups.
I encourage employers to review their current benefits and move towards a holistic wellbeing strategy. You don't always need to spend more money. Instead, focus on providing modern, evidence-based solutions that address the full spectrum of employee needs.
Q: How do the values at TELUS support your own wellbeing?
A: I'm proud that TELUS puts team members’ health and work-life balance first by championing programs such as flexible work from home and hybrid work.
TELUS also offers very competitive mental health benefits to team members and their families—something that would have made a huge difference to me personally when I was a teen—and has a strong culture around giving back to communities, supporting a positive workplace culture where people thrive.
We work hard as a team and as individual team members. There are certainly challenging days just as there are in any high-performing organisation, but the TELUS values shine through and help us carry forward to be both competitive and driven by social purpose— a balance that few companies ever find.
Dive deeper into holistic health
Learn how mental, physical and financial health are interconnected aspects of wellbeing, and how they affect the performance of employees and organisations alike.
Download the eBookFrequently asked questions
What is a holistic workplace wellbeing strategy?
A holistic workplace wellbeing strategy recognises that mental, physical and financial factors all shape overall wellbeing. Rather than offering isolated wellness perks, a whole-person wellbeing approach integrates support across all three areas. For example, financial stress can cause sleep loss, which leads to anxiety and reduced focus at work. By addressing these connections, organisations can see better employee outcomes and stronger business performance.
What is psychological safety in the workplace?
Psychological safety means employees feel safe to speak up, share ideas and make mistakes without fear of negative consequences. In Australia, employers must protect this safety by managing psychosocial risks under work health and safety laws. The right to disconnect law ads to the broader focus on healthy boundaries at work. Creating psychological safety requires clear communication, supportive managers and a workplace culture that values employee wellbeing.
How does an employee assistance program help improve employee wellbeing?
An employee assistance program (EAP) provides confidential counselling and support for personal and professional issues. It helps workers manage stress, resolve conflicts and address mental health concerns before challenges become severe. EAPs can also help reduce absenteeism and improve workplace productivity.
Why is workplace mental health important for Australian businesses?
According to the Q1 2026 TELUS Mental Health Index, 34 per cent of Australian workers have a high mental health risk. Supporting mental health can help create a mentally healthy environment, reduces absenteeism, increases productivity and ensures compliance with Fair Work Act and Work Health and Safety regulations.
How can HR leaders support a multi-generational workforce?
HR leaders can offer flexible benefits that appeal to different age groups. For example, younger and older employees may face conflicting demands across life stages, so support should include effective job design with clear expectations, alongside services that can help address poor workplace relationships. Older workers may prioritise physical health services and retirement planning. A holistic wellbeing strategy allows organisations to address the diverse needs of all generations.
