A deep dive on mental health at work

Workers’ concerns about mental well-being fell in 2024, with employees scoring their level of concern a 5.5 out of 10, compared to 5.8 out of 10 the year before, according to the 2024 Workplace Wellness Survey results published by the Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research. 

While concern about financial well-being is also falling, half of the 1,005 American full-time and part-time workers surveyed said they are worried about financial well-being, the report found. Employees rated their financial well-being concerns a 6.3 out of 10, and three-quarters of workers said debt is a problem for them. 

Fifty-six percent of workers said they are very or extremely satisfied with their job, and 14% said they were dissatisfied. Roughly 1 in 5 workers noted an increase in their company’s efforts to manage their well-being, and two-thirds said their company is expending the same amount of effort, the report found. 

Despite well-being improving overall, workers are still reporting burnout. 

Nearly 8 in 10 employees said they have experienced burnout in the past year, according to an Oct. 28 report by software company isolved. The more than 1,000 full-time U.S. workers surveyed identified burnout as the top reason they don’t go “above and beyond” at work. 

Companies continue to turn to expanded mental health and wellness benefits to combat burnout and the associated disengagement. 

“While concerns about well-being have trended down during the past two years, some American workers continue to face challenges affording their basic needs,” Greg Hershberger, managing director of health and benefits for Greenwald Research, said in a statement. 

Of those surveyed by EBRI and Greenwald Research, nearly 8 in 10 said they have problematic credit card debt, driven by groceries (52%), vehicle expenses (49%) and household utilities (36%).

Receiving kindness in the academic workplace can boost well-being, reduce stress and strengthen institutional identity, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE.

In turn, those who receive kindness are more likely to perform acts of kindness, the researchers found. They looked at several aspects of kindness — such as feeling safe and acknowledged — and how kindness promotes positivity and inclusion.

“We wanted to develop measures of kindness. When I say, ‘Let’s be kind to each other,’ we want tangible, specific actions we can implement,” Kanoho Hosoda, the lead researcher and director of the University of Hawai’i School of Medicine’s Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence, said in a statement. 

Hosoda and colleagues defined kindness as actions that affirm dignity and social inclusion, including several metrics: trust, autonomy, understanding, inclusion, fair treatment, acknowledgment, safety and acceptance of identity.

The researchers surveyed 182 higher education workers about their experiences with the different metrics. At the University of Hawai’i School of Medicine, for instance, several faculty members are creating learning communities for students to provide support and inclusion, Hosoda noted. 

Nurturing kindness across academia, especially in medical education, can extend kindness into clinical practice and benefit the broader community, Hosoda said. 

Workers say they want to work for a company with empathetic and emotionally intelligent leaders, even for a pay cut, according to an HP report. Although most leaders acknowledged the importance of emotionally intelligent leadership, employees said they don’t see it enough.

As employee engagement continues to drop, people management approaches should more directly address employee happiness through community, panelists said at an Academy of Management event. Showing kindness, recognizing workers and creating an open environment for discussions can go a long way, they said.

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By Calm Health

Intuitively, we know that we don’t perform our work at our best when we feel sad, stressed, or burned out. We expend energy and time thinking about something other than the task at hand, or we simply have little or no energy left to give. Our productivity can take a hit—for minutes, hours, days, or longer, depending on both our emotions and our mental health.

Indeed, research has shown that high levels of stress are associated with significantly lower productivity and work satisfaction. Burnout—a result of chronic, unmanaged stress—hinders creativity and innovation and reduces individual, team, and organizational performance. Similarly, untreated depression contributes to missed work days and reduced productivity and may affect one’s ability to focus, make decisions, manage time, and communicate. What’s more, depression is associated with higher total and outpatient healthcare costs.

An increase in workforce mental health conditions takes a toll on business

Unfortunately, large numbers of employees say they have emotional or mental health challenges. Sixty-one percent of respondents to Calm’s survey have felt down, depressed, or hopeless recently, and 68% are having trouble sleeping. According to the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Stress in America survey, more than one-third of adults have been diagnosed with a mental health condition—a five-percentage-point increase from pre-pandemic levels.

The estimated cost to business is high. Depression is estimated to cause 200 million lost workdays each year at a cost to employers of $17 to $44 billion. According to Gallup, employee absences due to poor sleep cost US businesses roughly $44 billion in lost productivity each year.

5 steps employers can take to support employee mental health and combat costs

The good news is that employers can take practical steps to support employee mental health and help combat costs associated with absenteeism, lost productivity, and comorbid physical and mental health conditions. Here are five ideas to consider:

1. Foster a workplace culture focused on well-being

Although awareness and understanding of mental health have grown since the pandemic, stigma remains a barrier to employees getting the support they need. For example, many employees are still reluctant to use an employee assistance program (EAP) due to the misperception that it’s meant for crisis situations only.

One way to combat mental health stigma is to focus on well-being as a core pillar of your workplace culture. Start by asking managers in your organization to use one-on-ones with their team members to highlight the availability of mental health benefits and encourage them to take advantage of these resources. It’s also important to ask leaders across the organization to talk about their experiences using your mental well-being programs and policies, which can help employees feel safe in using them.

2. Add resources to support mental well-being

Offering preventive mental health resources to supplement your EAP is another way to foster a culture of well-being and help reduce the mental health stigma. Most EAPs provide assessments, a number of free counseling sessions, and referrals for additional services, but most employees don’t need this level of mental health support.

In fact, according to an analysis by consulting firm McKinsey, 24% of employees require counseling and 1% require a mental health prescription medication. By contrast, 75% of employees need preventive support that fosters mental well-being.

Calm is a digital mental health resource that offers employees an extensive library of programs to support stress and anxiousness and help them get better sleep and build resilience on a daily basis. Employees can use Calm resources anytime, anywhere without stigma or concerns that their employer will know what programs they’re using.

3. Focus on improving the well-being of diverse populations

People who experience repeated discrimination over time—whether exclusion or microaggressions at work, bullying, or even violence—are at significantly higher risk of short- and long-term mental health challenges, including stress, anxiety, depression, and substance-use disorders.  

Consider implementing preventive mental health policies and programs that support the needs of diverse and marginalized populations, including neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, Hispanic, LatinX, and Black employees. Calm’s survey showed that these communities wish their employees would offer these benefits:

• Mental health support that aligns with their culture and identity
• Access to self-care break rooms at work
• Manager training regarding DEIB and mental health
• Time during the day to care for their mental health
• Mental health days off
• Mental health tools to address stress, anxiousness, and sleep issues

4. Help employees navigate to the mental health support they need

Employees often can’t find the support they need when they need it. Not only is there a shortage of mental health providers—more than half of US counties have a single psychiatrist, for example—but employees often lack awareness or understanding of what’s available to them or how to access it. In fact, a One Medical study showed that over half of employee members (51%) feel overwhelmed when they try to figure out how to navigate the healthcare system, and less than 20% use their mental health benefits.

What’s more, in a survey by the National Alliance of Mental Illness, 80% of respondents said they’re dissatisfied with online navigation tools to find mental health treatment or support, citing out-of-date and inaccurate information.

Consider advocacy or navigation solutions that guide employees to the right level of mental health support based on their specific conditions and needs.

With Calm Health, employees are invited to answer questions from the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ–9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) screenings to help them understand how they’re feeling. Based on an individual’s results and self-reported goals and topics of interest, Calm Health develops a personalized plan with recommendations for mindfulness tools, evidence-based clinical programs, and external resources that are appropriate for their mental health needs and accessible from a single location.

5. Offer condition-specific mental health support

The mind and body are connected, but mental and physical health care are not. For instance, despite the fact that people with diabetes are up to 3 times more likely to have depression, only 25% to 50% of people with diabetes who have depression are diagnosed and treated for it.  Untreated depression can not only worsen a comorbid chronic condition but also increase the total cost of care 2 to 8 times.

To help improve health and cost outcomes, explore solutions that bridge the gap between mental and physical health care and keep employees engaged in their mental health.

Calm Health offers employees and family members access to mental health programs developed by psychologists with expertise in specific conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, pregnancy and postpartum, and heart disease. These clinical programs, which are based on principles of cognitive behavioral therapy, have high ratings and engagement.

Nearly everyone who registers for Calm Health (93%) completes the mental health screening and submits goals and topics of interest (97%), putting them on the path to getting the right support for their specific needs. And more than half of registered users (53%) have started a clinical program and rated the programs, on average, 4 of 5. 

Urgent action needed

The World Health Organization has called on employers to take urgent action to prevent risks to employees and support employee mental health. “By investing efforts and resources in evidence-based approaches and interventions at work, we can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive at work and life,” it wrote. Investing in the mental health and well-being of your workforce can also improve productivity, performance, and the overall health of your organization.

U.S. workers continue to report high levels of daily negative emotions — such as stress, worry, anger and sadness — that remain elevated above prepandemic numbers, according to a recent update of Gallup’s workforce indicators on employee well-being.

All four negative emotions peaked at the height of the pandemic in 2020, Gallup found.

Of those surveyed, 51% said they experienced stress during “a lot of the day” the day before. Meanwhile, 40% reported experiencing worry, 22% reported anger, and 18% reported sadness. However, these emotions varied based on employee engagement, Gallup said.

“Workplace interactions play a measurable role in employees’ emotions,” Ryan Pendell, a senior workplace science editor at Gallup, wrote in the report. “Gallup finds that engaged employees are substantially less likely to experience high levels of daily negative emotions than those who are not engaged or actively disengaged at work.”

For instance, although more than half of survey respondents reported stress, that jumped to 69% among those who were actively disengaged and dropped to 40% among those who were engaged.

Pendell pointed to high-quality management as one of the biggest factors in employees’ daily emotions, noting that 70% of team engagement is attributable to the manager.

“To create a culture of wellbeing that employees can feel, mental health initiatives should be combined with employee engagement best practices and frequent wellbeing conversations at the team level,” Pendell wrote.

Nearly 8 in 10 employees have experienced burnout during the past year, leading to lower engagement among half of workers and lower productivity among a third of workers, according to an isolved report. About 70% of workers said they’re restless and looking to change jobs, particularly for more flexibility, better benefits and career development opportunities.

In turn, about half of CHROs said they planned to offer new well-being benefits in 2024 amid declining engagement, according to a report from The Conference Board. Mental health initiatives were the most common category of new benefits, followed by initiatives for physical health and fitness, financial wellbeing and work-life balance.

Nearly 8 in 10 employees have experienced burnout in the last year — leading to lower engagement for more than half of workers and reduced productivity for more than a third of workers, according to a report from isolved.

In addition, 72% of employees said they’re restless and looking to change jobs in the next year, which marks a 14-point increase from 2023. Among recent job changers, 9 in 10 said they’re looking to jump again.

“Burnout is eroding employee engagement at a time when companies need their teams to perform at their best,” Celia Fleischaker, chief marketing officer at isolved, said in a statement.

“Organizations that proactively address burnout along with benefits dissatisfaction, the need for flexibility and job insecurity will not only retain top talent, but also cultivate a workforce that is empowered, resilient and future ready,” she added.

Burnout, benefits driving career decisions

In a survey of more than 1,000 full-time U.S. employees, burnout was named the top factor that prevents employees from going “above and beyond” in their roles. Generation Z and millennial workers felt this was particularly true, and they were more likely to report burnout than baby boomers.

For half of workers, flexible arrangements with hybrid or remote work ranked as the top motivator for accepting a new job offer. Similarly, a lack of flexibility was also a key factor in job turnover, with 1 in 10 workers seeking a new job for more flexibility. 

About a quarter of workers explicitly said they’re leaving their jobs for better benefits in 2024. According to the report, only 43% of workers said they have health insurance through their employer, and only 35% have access to paid time off.

Career fears still loom large

Beyond that, many employees said they’re worried about layoffs — both workers that have experienced layoffs at their companies in the past 12 months and those who have not. In response, career development remains a top priority. Although most employees said they feel valued, they’re also seeking more support for career growth and stability.

As more workers report burnout, fewer believe their employer cares about them and their well-being, according to an Aflac report. Employers can offer mental health tools and work-life balance perks such as flexible schedules to boost employee satisfaction and retention, the report found.

The fear of missing out — or FOMO — at work may be a key risk factor for employee mental health and burnout, particularly if workers experience information overload, anxiety and stress, according to research from the University of Nottingham. HR pros can consider policy and training options that help workers better access, manage and consume information in the digital workplace.

As employee burnout remains high, certain workload-related changes could help, according to an Eagle Hill Consulting report. Most workers said burnout could be alleviated by a four-day workweek, increased flexibility, decreased workloads and better health and wellness benefits. 

Even so, employers may have “hit a wall” on reducing burnout since burnout levels — as well as burnout drivers — haven’t changed much, the firm’s CEO said.

Vail Resorts expanded its mental health benefits to provide employees and their dependents and roommates with 12 free therapy sessions each per year, up from six, according to a recent company news release.

The coverage applies to all year-round workers and to seasonal employees who work winter and summer. Employees who work one season per year have access to six free therapy sessions, the company said. 

The benefit is available to all employees, even if they are not enrolled in the company’s healthcare plan, Vail Resorts said. Since the company introduced its mental health program two years ago, it has seen a 12% utilization rate of clinical resources overall, up from 10% in 2022.

“Vail Resorts is committed to ensuring that our team members have the resources and support they need to be healthy and safe while continuing to create an inclusive and equitable work environment for everyone,” Corey Levy, wellness director at Vail Resorts, said in a statement.

The push to offer expanded mental health and wellness benefits comes as companies battle worker disengagement and burnout. 

In HR Dive’s 2024 Identity of HR survey, HR leaders identified mental health benefits as a top nontraditional benefits strategy, following only remote and hybrid work arrangements. 

And more than half of employers said they plan to expand their well-being strategy in the next three to five years, according to survey results released in May by Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments. 

Employees also expect an investment in their well-being by employers, according to The Conference Board’s Next Frontier of Well-Being report. A large majority of both U.S. and European employees said that their employers are at least partially responsible for their well-being, per the report.

More than half of employers said they plan to address the impact of social determinants of health — social and economic conditions that affect a person’s ability to be healthy — on personal well-being in the next three to five years, according to the results of a survey by Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments. 

Of the 160 employer respondents, more than three-quarters reported providing family-forming benefits and reproductive support in 2024, and 86% of employers said they planned to offer the benefit next year, per BGH. 

Roughly 6 in 10 employers said their well-being strategy is consistent globally, and 18% plan to develop one soon. The challenge, according to 70% of respondents, was that employee needs are not universal in each country where they operate.

Employers increasingly have been turning to well-being and other nontraditional benefits to attract and retain workers, including benefits that address the social determinants of health, such as financial literacy programs and housing assistance. 

The 2023-2024 Aflac WorkForces Report found that 66% of employees are less likely to look for a new job if they feel like their company supports their well-being. 

“Addressing social determinants of health may soon be a key aspect of well-being design,” Ellen Kelsay, president and CEO of Business Group on Health, said in a statement. “By supporting initiatives that reduce employee cost-sharing or provide child care support and flexibility, for instance, employers enable individuals and their families to boost their overall well-being and achieve other positive outcomes.” 

Some employers are tackling what are known as the social determinants of work: the factors that affect how an employee can show up in a healthy way at work. That can look like caregiving or child care benefits, therapy services or transportation assistance. 

These types of nontraditional benefits are an area of opportunity for employers, according to HR Dive’s 2024 Identity of HR survey. More than half of respondents said remote and hybrid work programs were part of their talent strategies last year. Other benefits that saw an uptake included programs addressing mental health, educational attainment and commuting.