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Many employees are dissatisfied with their health but keen to improve it, according to new research that means employers can focus less on "the biggest challenge" of motivating people, and more on helping them to act, a wellness specialist says.

The latest Telus Mental Health Index, based on a survey of 1,000 Australian employees, says those who are dissatisfied with their physical health have a mental health score 23 points lower than satisfied workers, and lose an additional 19 working days in productivity annually, compared to satisfied workers.

"The biggest challenge is when people say, 'I'm not interested and I don't want to do anything about it'," says Jamie MacLennan, APAC managing director of Telus Health.

But the report contains good news on this front, he tells HR Daily, with many employees (62%) now reporting "high" interest in improving their health and wellbeing...