From Burnout To Balance: How Companies Can Fully Support Workforce Well-Being

The current state of employee mental health

The 2020s have been a challenging decade thus far. The Covid-19 pandemic, political, social, and racial unrest, and the climate crisis have all set a dark cloud on top of the everyday ups and downs we each experience. And, as much as employees might try, it’s nearly impossible to check your stress at the door when you arrive at work. 

The TELUS Mental Health Index (Index) conducted in April 2023 unveiled a distressing reality: three out of five U.S. workers were at moderate or high risk of developing a mental health condition such as addiction, anxiety, or depression. And for those who do develop one of these conditions, the issue is often exacerbated by a nationwide shortage of mental health providers; the federal government estimates that more than 100 million individuals live in areas that lack access to adequate care. So perhaps it’s not surprising that a recent survey by the meditation app Calm found that two-thirds of working adults said they wanted their employer to help them take care of their mental wellness. 

In the same survey, employers expressed an overwhelming desire to provide more comprehensive mental health benefits, with nearly 90 percent stating that boosting these benefits was among their top priorities. Recent workplace trends such as the Great Resignation and quiet quitting show that employees are increasingly leaving jobs due to mental health reasons. Another 2021 survey found that a majority of Millennials (68 percent) and Gen Zers (81 percent) had left roles due to factors like overwhelming and unsustainable workloads. 

Policies and Training

While the impetus lies with the employee to seek care, employers are recognizing that initiatives and benefits that support a worker’s mental well-being at work, as well as outside of it, bring benefits to the bottom line in terms of productivity, reduced attrition, and a happier workforce. For these reasons and more, companies are increasingly offering expanded benefits and other programs to support the mental well-being of their employees. 

In the workplace, new policies and procedures have also been established to ensure that all employees feel supported. Zero-tolerance policies on violence and all forms of harassment in the workplace that apply to all employees, contractors, customers, and anyone else who comes in contact with company personnel are a first step. These include compliance with any federal or state laws protecting employees diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or other mental health conditions.  

Additionally, mental health awareness training (MHAT) teaches managers how to identify, understand and respond to signs of potential mental illness or substance use disorders in the workplace, how to discuss the issue without stigmatizing the employee, and how to cultivate resilience to reduce potential burnout. 

Expanded EAP and Other Benefits Plan Supports

In addition to mental healthcare insurance, nearly 8 in 10 employers offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), which have traditionally been an underutilized benefit. EAPs are benefit programs that help workers with problems that might impact their job performance or their health and mental well-being. These voluntary programs offer confidential assessments, short-term counseling, and referrals to services such as financial planning, legal counsel, dependent care, and more. 

During the pandemic, more people - especially women - took advantage of the medical and mental health referrals and consultations offered through EAPs. Today, with a greater acceptance of telemedicine and app-based wellness, tools such as self-directed online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other forms of psychotherapy have become available to those in regions underserved by mental health professionals. 

A 2020 workplace outcome report found that the return on investment (ROI) for EAPs can reach as high as 9 to 1 for large organizations; smaller employers can see an ROI of three to five times their investment. Additionally, the survey found that EAPs had the potential to save companies as much as $3,500 per case in lower absentee- and presenteeism. 

And beyond EAPs, other mental health services provided through benefits plans can play a part. Many companies now offer comprehensive mental health support available to users any time of the day in multiple formats – virtual, phone, or in-person. Some services also provide dedicated care navigators who help employees better manage their journey and are with them every step of the way as they access counseling. There are a host of other virtual health innovations enabling employers to lead the way to better total health and well-being for employees. 

Support for Physical Health 

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), a person’s physical health can correlate to their mental health. The April Mental Health Index found that workers who reported good physical health had an average mental health score of 81.8, nearly 12 points higher than the national average. Conversely, 8 percent of workers reported poor physical health or significant physical health challenges, with 34 percent of them stating their employer is aware of the physical health issue but has not been helpful in supporting their management of it. 

A lack of exercise and quality sleep also impacts workers’ mental health. The Index found that most workers exercise less than 90 minutes a week; those who reported at least 3.5 hours of strenuous exercise tallied better mental health scores. Although these issues are not directly related to the workplace, employers can support workers through comprehensive workplace health and safety (CWHS) programs that protect physical and psychological health. 

These programs include enabling adequate rest and time off, for example, not scheduling a retail worker to open the store the day after working until close, enabling flexible work schedules, and empowering managers and supervisors to encourage their reports to take breaks throughout the day. For some employees, just knowing they can take a 15-minute break to walk around the block is enough to reduce their stress levels. 

There has never been a time when employees' willingness to use mental health support has been this high. Employers can either seize the opportunity to prioritize employee mental health to create a healthier, more engaging, and more productive workplace or risk the serious business impacts of an unhealthy workforce.

Personally, I’d much rather be a part of an organization that is focused on building a future where mental health is valued and supported, and I’m willing to bet your employees are too.

Neil King is the Managing Director for Employer Solutions at TELUS Health. His responsibilities include global responsibility for EAP, Well-being, Student Support, and Training Solutions.