Regional employees calling for support amid workplace mental health gap

• New research from Allianz Australia reveals regional employees are disproportionately affected by workplace mental health challenges, with over 700,000 considering leaving their job in the next year,¹ contributing to a national trend affecting 3.27 million Australian workers.²
• Nearly a quarter of surveyed regional Australian employees³ rate their current mental health as worse than it has ever been during their working life, with Allianz claims data showing regional workers are taking nearly three months to recover from mental injuries, 16 days longer than metropolitan workers.⁴
• The proportion of mental injury workers’ compensation claims in the Allianz portfolio is higher in regional areas, at 19% of overall claims, compared to 13.4% in metropolitan areas.⁵ 
• Surveyed regional employees are choosing to manage challenges privately and away from the workplace, due to a perceived lack of tailored support, proactivity and capability from managers when it comes to mental health.
• To help close the workplace mental health gap, Allianz is examining the nuances between regional and metropolitan employees and developing practical resources that support mentally healthy workplaces in regional areas.

New research from Allianz Australia reveals that place plays an important role in workplace mental health outcomes, as regional employees experience disproportionate impacts to their mental health compared to metropolitan (metro) workers.

Allianz recorded a higher proportion of mental injury workers’ compensation claims in regional areas compared to metro areas (19% vs. 13.4%) in the last financial year. Over the past five years, regional workers took an average of 88 days to return to work following a mental injury claim, 16 days longer than their metro counterparts (72 days).⁶

This data signals a notable mental health gap between regional and metro workplaces; as nearly a third of surveyed regional workers⁷ – the equivalent of 703,000 employees – say they are likely to consider leaving their current job in the next 6–12 months.

Brianna Cattanach, National Manager Mental Health Strategy – Personal Injury, Allianz Australia says, “We're seeing a disproportionately higher rate of mental injury claims in regional areas, and those workers are taking significantly longer to return to work than their metro counterparts. These trends point to a widening workplace mental health gap that demands our attention, particularly as a growing number of regional employees are considering walking away from their jobs altogether.”

According to Allianz claims, workplace stress (36.9%), bullying and/or harassment (31.0%) and workplace violence (14.8%) are the biggest drivers of mental injuries in regional workplaces.⁸ Beyond the claims data, Allianz employee research also shines a light on the current state of workplace mental health for regional Australians.

Nearly a quarter of surveyed regional Australian employees⁹ rate their current mental health as worse than it has ever been during their working life, with issues including their personal financial situation (43%), the quality of their relationships and sense of connection (33%) and workload, work pace and deadlines (32%) negatively impacting their mental health at work.

Despite experiencing higher levels of psychological harm, regional workers are less aware of, and less likely to access, workplace support services than metro employees.

Nearly one in five (18%) surveyed regional employees say no workplace mental health support is available to them,¹⁰ while 61% do not know how to access support through their workplace if they need it.¹¹ Further, only 27% say they have sought or would seek support if their mental health was impacting their life or work.¹²

Awareness of mental health resources on offer by their employers is also significantly lower in regional employees than metro employees, with just 14% of those surveyed saying they are aware of access to mental health training or workshops,¹³ and 26% to workplace wellness or health programs.¹⁴

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of surveyed regional employees admit they have never used mental health support from their current workplace or employer.¹⁵ According to the research, this is likely due to a perceived lack of tailored support, proactivity and capability from managers, as workers report being uncomfortable discussing workplace challenges with their boss.

Less than one in five (18%) of those surveyed say their manager applies preventative measures to navigate mental health issues in the team, with 17% addressing mental health issues in their team only as they arise.

Further, surveyed regional workers say they are uncomfortable discussing challenging topics with their manager, such as requests for time off due to mental health (34%), external stressors affecting their work (34%) and general stress or anxiety related to work (29%).

Allianz Community Care partner Rural Aid says regional workers can face additional practical and cultural barriers to seeking support, with Myf Pitcher, Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager for Rural Aid saying:

“Rural communities are built on people looking out for one another, but accessing support is not always straightforward. Long distances, limited services and demanding work schedules can all stand in the way. We need support that is connected to local communities, easy to access and designed around the realities of life and work in the bush."

The findings highlight an opportunity for employers to improve awareness and uptake of mental health resources offered in regional workplaces, by providing early intervention support that is tailored to employees’ specific needs to drive positive wellbeing outcomes.

Allianz’s latest research into workplace mental health, now in its eighth year, paints a picture of Australia’s broader national mental health crisis. Year-on-year analysis reveals that, as satisfaction with organisations creating mentally healthy workplaces declines, the likelihood of employees leaving their organisation has increased.¹⁶ This comes as the volume of overall mental injury claims made to Allianz saw a relative increase of 28.4% from over the last five years.¹⁷

Brianna Cattanach commented, “Allianz is continuing to examine the workplace mental health gap to better understand the distinct pressures facing regional workforces. We’re using those insights to work with employers on practical, tailored solutions that build mentally healthier workplaces and connect workers with the right care when they need it.”

For more information on the research and to access workplace mental health resources, tools and guidance, visit Closing-the-Workplace-Mental-Health-Gap.

See below additional quote commenting on the regional mental health gap, for publication:

• From Mark Pittman, Executive General Manager, Personal Injury at Allianz Australia: “When we look at the claims experience of regional workers, we see evidence that recovery is often more complex. Longer periods away from work suggest there may be barriers beyond the injury itself. Access to services, workforce capacity and local support networks can all influence how quickly someone is able to recover and return to work.”

The research was commissioned by Allianz and conducted by YouGov in accordance with the Australian Polling Council standard. The survey is a nationally representative sample comprising 1522 employees (middle managers and below) in Australia aged 18 years and older. This study was conducted online between 10 August 2026 and 20 August 2026. Following the completion of interviewing, the data was weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest ABS population estimates.

1. 31% of regional employees said they are likely to consider leaving their current organisation in the next 6-12 months. This is the equivalent of 703,000 people, when extrapolated to the general population of those employed in middle management and below in regional areas.
2. In 2026, 30% of Australians, the equivalent of 3.27 million workers, said they are likely to consider leaving their current organisation in the next 6–12 months.
3. When asked to compare the current state of their mental health against the best it’s been in their working life, 24% of regional workers said it is worse.
4. According to Allianz Workers Compensation data, the average days off work for a Primary Psychological Workers Compensation active claim between FY22-FY26 was 87.9 days in regional areas, 72.3 days in metropolitan areas.
5. According to Allianz Workers Compensation data, Primary Psychological Workers Compensation active claims made up 19% of overall claims in regional areas in the last financial year (FY26), compared to 13.4% in metropolitan areas.
6. According to Allianz Workers Compensation data, the average days off work for a Primary Psychological Workers Compensation active claim between FY22-FY26 was 87.9 days in regional areas, 72.3 days in metropolitan areas.
7. 31% of regional employees said they are likely to consider leaving their current organisation in the next 6-12 months. This is the equivalent of 703,000 people, when extrapolated to the general population of those employed in middle management and below in regional areas.
8. According to Allianz Workers Compensation data, the top drivers of active Primary Psychological Workers Compensation claims in regional areas in FY26 were mental stress/work pressure (36.9%), bullying/harassment (31%) and work violence (14.8%).
9. When asked to compare the current state of their mental health against the best it’s been in their working life, 24% of regional workers said it is worse.
10. A greater proportion of regional employees say no mental health support is available to them than metro employees – 18% vs 14%.
11. A lower proportion of regional employees say they do not know how to access support through their workplace if they need it than metro employees – 61% vs 58%.
12. A lower proportion of regional employees say they have sought or would seek support if their mental health was impacting their life or work than metro employees – 27% vs 32%.
13. Less regional employees say they are aware of their workplace providing mental health training or workshops –14% vs 20%. 
14. Less regional employees say they are aware of their workplace providing workplace wellness of health programs than metro employees – 26% vs 33%.
15. When asked whether they have ever used mental health support offered by their current workplace or employer, 73% of regional workers said they have never used it.
16. In 2026, only 51% of Australians nationally reported being satisfied with their organisation creating mentally healthy workplaces, in the last 6 months. This is down on 64% from 2025. In 2026, 30% of Australians, the equivalent of 3.27 million workers, said they are likely to consider leaving their current organisation in the next 6–12 months. This is up from 25% who said the same in 2025.
17. According to Allianz Workers Compensation data, Primary Psychological Workers Compensation active claims have seen relative growth of 28.4% in the period from FY22 (11.6% of total claims) to FY26 (14.9% of total claims).