7 Ways For Employers to Support Rising Mental Health Challenges

Navigating a broken and fully overburdened behavioural health system was tremendously daunting, even as a lifetime healthcare executive with vast industry expertise and many relationships.

COVID-19's aftermath continues to damage the emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing of many people. According to a recent survey by the Integrated Benefits Institute, two out of every five employed persons suffer from anxiety or depressive disorder, a 400% rise from pre-pandemic levels. Younger adults (ages 18-24) are more likely to experience mental health problems, and women are disproportionately affected (42.9%) as compared to males (34%).

Employers, employees, and their families face stigma surrounding mental health, as well as inequities in the delivery of high-quality care. 

Employers must address mental health as one of the top objectives due to new technology, an increasing number of vendors, insufficient data and guidance, and an unduly stressed, shrinking workforce. 

Here are some of the top benefit strategy options to alleviate mental health difficulties among employees:

Improve access to care 

Work closely with the employee assistance provider, behavioural health, and medical carriers to track response time and time to see a suitable provider to address the chronic lack of mental health providers and restricted availability. 

Engage employees

Improve employee awareness and engagement by combining communication tactics that emphasise the worth and availability of resources, as well as using incentives to motivate staff.

Reduce stigma

Provide programmes for employees to encourage them to talk about their mental health concerns. Regular check-ins with management, lunch-and-learns, and other measures that provide a safe space to share anxieties or concerns can help achieve this.

An employee's mental wellness is a top priority for the organisation.

Communicate

Employees will not be able to access or profit from accessible resources if they are unaware of them. Educate leaders and managers on how to properly communicate with employees directly.

Prioritise mental health

Leverage leadership and communicate often to encourage involvement and to promote the value of prioritising mental health above work/life activities, as well as to make support tools readily available.

Streamline resources

This is especially critical for large businesses with various departments since collaborating to streamline programme execution will ensure that initiatives are aligned to complement existing departmental efforts and goals.

Measure the impact on productivity

A workforce's mental health can substantially impact productivity, medical costs, and the organisation's strength. Cost reductions and productivity gains can be realised by organisations that raise awareness of and provide support for these concerns.

Employers should also explore using analytics to track disability, employee assistance programmes, behavioural health, pharmaceutical, and medical utilisation through claims data, in addition to the previously mentioned measures. 

Employee and screening questionnaires are also recommended to examine how successful businesses serve mental health issues and to better understand how employees are feeling.

Source: HR Executive