The State Department for Foreign Affairs has begun a review of its Staff Wellness Policy as it seeks to strengthen the wellbeing, resilience and effectiveness of officers serving at Headquarters and Kenya’s diplomatic missions abroad.
The review is being undertaken through a retreat bringing together officials and staff to assess the existing policy framework, examine emerging workplace and psychosocial challenges, and identify practical measures to strengthen support for employees across the Foreign Service.
Opening the retreat, Caroline Imbayi, Deputy Head of Department (HOD), Staff Wellness and Welfare, called for an inclusive review anchored in staff experiences and capable of delivering a practical, responsive and sustainable framework.
“Let us work together to develop a comprehensive, practical, and responsive Wellness Policy that will contribute to a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce,” Imbayi said.
She stressed the importance of translating the Department’s commitment to employee welfare into practical interventions that reflect the realities of officers serving both in Kenya and in diverse diplomatic environments abroad.
Esther Kinyanjui, Director of Counselling and Wellness Services at the State Department for Public Service and Human Capital Development, brought a broader mental-health perspective to the discussions, highlighting the importance of awareness, early support and tackling stigma in building healthier workplaces.
“Mental health is not simply the absence of mental illness; it is a positive state of wellbeing that enables individuals to function effectively at work, in their families and in society. Strengthening awareness, encouraging early support and addressing stigma are therefore critical to building a healthy and resilient workforce,” Kinyanjui said.
The emphasis on mental-health awareness comes against a significant global and national burden. According to the presentation to the retreat, the mental-health challenge is global and was further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The presentation cites World Health Organization data ranking Kenya among the African countries with a high burden of depression and notes estimates that one in 10 Kenyans may experience mental-health-related challenges, while one in four patients seeking outpatient services may have a mental-health condition.
The presentation identified low awareness and stigma as major challenges, noting that limited understanding of mental-health conditions can delay people from seeking appropriate support. It also highlighted factors that can affect mental wellbeing, including trauma, social isolation, discrimination, bereavement, prolonged stress, physical health conditions and substance misuse.
For the workplace, the implications can extend to productivity, relationships and institutional performance. Early recognition of changes in behaviour, mood, engagement and work performance can help institutions respond appropriately and connect employees with support.
The review therefore provides an opportunity to strengthen a wellness framework that recognises the employee as a whole. The existing Staff Wellness Policy provides for psychological, physical, social and spiritual wellbeing, with interventions covering areas such as stress management, counselling, physical wellness, nutrition, financial management and conflict resolution. It also provides for Wellness Champions to help promote wellness initiatives across the organisation.
For Kenya’s Foreign Service, the need for a strong wellness framework carries an added dimension. Officers serving abroad may face the pressures of deployment and transfers, demanding workloads, separation from family, adjustment to different cultural environments and the responsibilities associated with representing Kenya overseas.
The review comes amid growing international recognition that employee wellbeing is closely linked to productivity, institutional resilience and effective service delivery. The World Health Organization estimates that one in eight people globally lives with a mental health condition, while depression and anxiety are estimated to cost the global economy about US$1 trillion annually in lost productivity.
The WHO and International Labour Organization have also estimated that approximately 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety, underscoring the wider economic and organisational consequences of mental-health challenges in the workplace.
For the State Department for Foreign Affairs, investment in staff wellness therefore has implications beyond individual wellbeing. Through its Headquarters and diplomatic missions abroad, the Department advances Kenya’s foreign-policy and national interests, including trade and investment promotion, tourism diplomacy, development cooperation and international partnerships.
A healthy, supported and resilient diplomatic workforce is consequently an important foundation for effective representation of Kenya and the pursuit of the country’s economic and strategic interests internationally.
The policy’s guiding motto “A healthier Foreign Service for better diplomatic representation” captures the link between staff wellbeing and the country’s diplomatic effectiveness.
The retreat is expected to generate recommendations aimed at strengthening the policy, improving implementation and reinforcing staff wellness as an integral component of a resilient, productive and effective Foreign Service.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign&Diaspora Affairs, Kenya.
