October Health – 2025 Report

Productivity in Kenya

- Leading cause: Unemployment and underemployment (job scarcity) at the population level in Kenya, with macroeconomic conditions (inflation and cost of living) intensifying the stress but the main driver being lack of adequate jobs. - Workplace impact: Higher financial stress, reduced focus, and burnout that undermine productivity. - What organizations can do: Provide financial well-being support and mental health resources; offer flexible work arrangements and skills development; consider digital group sessions and assessments from October to support employee well-being.

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Productivity Prevalence
32.41%
Affected people
17,825,500

Impact on the people of Kenya

  • Physical health
    • Chronic fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, weakened immune function
  • Mental health
    • Increased anxiety, burnout, irritability, risk of depression
  • Sleep and cognitive function
    • Insomnia or disrupted sleep, poor concentration, memory issues
  • Relationships and personal life
    • More conflicts, less time with loved ones, neglect of self-care
  • Workplace functioning and coping
    • Decreased productivity and more errors; set boundaries and breaks, seek social support, talk to supervisor/HR, and consider October digital group sessions for support

Impact on the Kenya Economy

  • Reduced productivity per worker due to burnout and fatigue.
  • Increased absenteeism and presenteeism, raising costs and lowering output.
  • Higher turnover and recruitment/training costs, plus loss of skilled workers.
  • Greater health care costs and long-term mental health burden on individuals and families.
  • In Kenya, these effects can be amplified by the large informal sector and rising urban living costs, increasing vulnerability and widening income inequality.

Mitigation tip: consider corporate mental health programs (e.g., October) to provide digital group sessions, assessments, and content to support employees.

What can government do to assist?

  • Legislation and enforcement

    • Enforce reasonable weekly hours, mandated breaks, and a formal right to disconnect to reduce after-hours work and burnout.

  • Access to mental health care

    • Integrate mental health into primary care, subsidize employer programs, and use scalable tools like October for group sessions and assessments.

  • Flexible work and social supports

    • Encourage flexible/hybrid work, staggered shifts, paid family leave, and protections against penalization for using these policies.

  • Workplace culture and literacy

    • Mandate manager training on recognizing burnout and providing support, run anti-stigma campaigns, and ensure access to confidential Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

  • Social protection and data-driven policy

    • Strengthen sick leave and unemployment protections; invest in data collection on work-related stress and evaluate policy impact; provide incentives for wellbeing programs in companies.

What can businesses do to assist their employees?

  • Realistic workloads and clear priorities: Regularly review workloads, cap tasks per person, and set achievable deadlines aligned with business goals; factor in local context like traffic when planning schedules.

  • Protected focus time and breaks: Block deep-work periods, limit meetings, and encourage regular short breaks to recharge; consider no-meeting days to protect focus.

  • Mental health access and stigma reduction: Provide confidential support (EAP or tele-counseling) and promote group sessions via October; run awareness campaigns to normalize help-seeking.

  • Manager training and supportive culture: Train managers to spot burnout signs, conduct supportive wellbeing check-ins, and foster psychological safety and open feedback.

  • Flexible work arrangements and efficient processes: Offer hybrid/remote options and flexible hours; streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and ensure clear prioritization and adequate resources.