Five Ways to Support Employee’s Mental Health and Wellness

Each year, one in five adults in the U.S. will experience mental illness, while only one in three who need help will get it. These widespread mental health challenges not only result in people missing work but also in them being less focused and productive. This is why focusing on workplace mental health is important for both your employee’s wellness and your business’ bottom line.

Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression and anxiety cost the economy $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. But WHO also found that for every $1 spent on treating common mental health concerns, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity. As such, many employers are enhancing emotional and mental health benefits to include support services ranging from managing stress to treating invisible disabilities such as anxiety and depression. 

Here are five ways your company can support your employees and their mental health:

1. Understand how mental health impacts your employees.

“It’s important for managers to be trained to recognize the signs of emotional distress so they can react in a supportive rather than a punitive way,” says Jerome Schultz, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist and a lecturer at Harvard Medical School. “Some employees need people around them to say, ‘Hey, I see you might be feeling stressed. Maybe now is a good time to try some breathing exercises or go take a walk.’” 

Proactive steps employers can take include:

• Mandating mental health training for company leaders to ensure they are able to support employee wellbeing
• Training managers on how to identify and respond to signs of emotional distress or substance abuse
• Consider using surveys such as the Work Limitations Questionnaire and the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire to gauge how employees’ health and stress levels impact

2. Expand health care plan options to include mental health coverage.

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires insurance coverage for mental health conditions (including substance use disorders) to be no more restrictive than insurance coverage for other medical conditions. Encourage employees to identify psychologists and psychiatrists who are in-network and consider providing a health savings account (HSA) option to help employees offset out-of-pocket mental health care costs.

3. Establish an employee assistance program (EAP).

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are a great way to support workplace mental health. While some employees may be reluctant to use this resource due to fear of stigma, shame, and lack of understanding about how these confidential programs work, employers can alleviate this through educating employees on how to utilize their EAP. A great way to do this is by distributing a monthly mental health newsletter.

According to Fernán Cepero, YMCA of Greater Rochester’s senior human resources business partner, “The newsletter reminds employees these benefits are available to you. It’s paid for you. It’s there for you. Use it as much as you want. Employees know ‘I can call to work out a plan. I can get assistance I need now rather than waiting for a crisis. I can get help before I even have to use my insurance.’” 

Employers can encourage employees to use an EAP by:

• Providing direct access to mental health professionals via phone and/or in-person
• Offering this resource to employees and their immediate family members
• Simplifying how employees gain access to mental health resources
• Emphasizing that EAPs can be accessed confidentially, free of charge

4. Leverage communication to reduce stigma and increase access to mental health resources.

While many employers opt for waiting until open enrollment to share mental health benefits and community resources, it’s best to do so on a regular basis. Encourage business leaders and executives to discuss well-being when talking about talent recruitment and building an inclusive culture. Employers may also consider offering workshops so employees can learn more about mental health and resilience.

5. Promote well-being throughout the year.

Some simple ways to promote well-being include:

• Building as much flexibility as possible into all employees’ schedules
• Offering access to apps that can help with sleep and stress reduction
• Creating a meditation room on-site
• Offering mindfulness training and/or yoga classes on-site
• Encouraging employees to use their vacation time (by limiting the amount of vacation employees can roll over into the next year)
• Providing accommodations and return-to-work processes for employees who need to take a leave of absence because of a mental health issue so they feel supported when they return
• Creating opportunities for employees to build connections with each other (through social events, affinity groups, and/or message boards)