Employee Benefits Market Check Survey: Employee Mental Health

Poor mental health has been a global issue for several years. Much like other world challenges, COVID-19 exacerbated the mental health crisis facing all of us. Mental health impacts all geographies, generations, industries, and demographics.

We conducted a poll during a webcast on April 21 to gain insight into how employers address mental health concerns. The results are in the charts below.

Key Findings
It is encouraging to see many employers taking action. Mental health issues are impacting not only employees but also spouses and children, so the incentive for companies to lead this initiative is great.

Almost 40% said one of their initiatives is to conduct an educational campaign. While this is a great step, it cannot be the only action organizations choose.There are several point solutions currently in the market to help address the mental health crisis. Companies need to evaluate those diligently and dedicate resources to implementing those that can add value.

Other business actions may indirectly impact the overall mental health state of the workforce and may need to be revisited. Allowing employees to work remotely 100% may sound good, but is that lack of in-person connection with other employees doing more harm than good? Is the current company structure promoting a healthy work-life balance? Is the current workload and collaboration format making life easier or more difficult? Is our total rewards package not sufficient, adding undue stress and anxiety? These are just some examples of items employers must consider.