Australian workers place more importance on depression and stress concerns than their employers, according to a workplace study by MetLife.

About 6% of employers are concerned about depression, compared with 32% of employees, while 11% of employers are worried about stress, compared with 29% of workers.

The Employee Benefit Trends Study questioned 300 company managers and more than 500 full-time staff.

Employers rank their workers’ medical problems (88%) over their emotional health (69%) and lifestyle issues (62%) in a list of concerns.

Staff worry more about emotional wellbeing (84%) and medical issues (70%).

The study shows employers recognise the benefit of offering wellness programs to staff, to improve retention and productivity.

However, these programs tend to relate to flu shots (42%) and employee assistance programs (42%).

“As working hours grow longer, and associated stress and anxiety is on the rise, employers need to acknowledge employees’ mental health concerns and address these head on,” MetLife Australia CEO Deanne Stewart said.

“While it’s encouraging to see more employers offering health and wellness programs, our research shows these are often misaligned to staff needs.”

Offering programs that improve mental health and overall wellbeing can be a major opportunity for employers, according to the research.

“In a fiercely competitive employment market, companies need to stand out and do all they can to attract and retain top talent,” Ms Stewart said.

“This might mean considering benefit solutions that focus on improving staff resilience, relieving work stress and providing mental health programs that offer support in the workplace.”