Amazon Australia has launched a new mental health support benefit for its employees and their families, providing life coaching and mindfulness resources for holistic mental wellbeing.

Research commissioned by Amazon Australia found that nearly 95 per cent of its workers expect a workplace support service that promotes their mental and physical wellbeing.

This is in addition to Amazon’s Employee Assistance Program, which offers one-on-one counselling, legal and financial work-life assistance, crisis and suicide prevention support, and an interactive self-care program.

Jacqui Marker, Amazon human resources operations director in Australia, China and Singapore, said mental health care is a ‘non-negotiable for employers’.

“It is critical that our teams feel they can easily access mental wellbeing resources to help navigate the vast range of challenges life offers. In providing a range of services over and above free counselling sessions, as well as regular dialogue with employees about mental health, we hope to remove barriers and stigma around actively prioritising mental wellbeing,” said Marker.

According to Amazon Australia, it also provides all permanent employees with health insurance from their first day on the job and up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave.