Three Years Since COVID Began, Mental Health Resources Becoming Prevalent in the Workplace

By Howard Olshansky, JFS Executive Director

It has been three years since the beginning of the pandemic and the impact on our mental health has repeatedly been reported. The statistics all tell us cases of anxiety, depression and suicide are up. Our kids are struggling from having been out of school for such long periods of time. Requests for mental health services have skyrocketed, and it is pretty common that mental health clinics have a waitlist for services.

Though report after report has showed the mental health impact on our personal lives, what hasn’t been frequently reported is the prevalence of mental health support and services in the workplace. Both employees and employers have recognized that with more individuals struggling with a mental health issue its impact will show up in performance and productivity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) depression and anxiety cost the global economy approximately $1 trillion each year, driven predominantly by lost productivity. The result is both employee demand and employer resources for mental health support.

Lyra, a provider of mental health services in the workplace, recently conducted a survey of 1,000+ workers. The survey indicated that over 84% of respondents indicated that “robust and comprehensive” mental health benefits were an important factor when considering a new job. And with unemployment at a record low, employers are beginning to take notice. The report also indicated that there was a 15% increase in workplace managers being concerned that employees were having suicidal thoughts and a 9% increase in concern about self-harm with their employee pool.

WHO recently called on businesses across the globe to provide work that “simultaneously prevents workers from experiencing excessive stress and mental health risks; protects and promotes workers’ mental health and well-being; and supports people to fully and effectively participate in the workforce, free from stigma, discrimination or abuse.” And employers are responding. According to a subsequent study by Lyra, 81% of employee benefits leaders surveyed believe it is an employer’s responsibility to prevent work-related mental health problems from developing among employees.

So, what are these workplace mental health supports? The following are some trends in how corporations are responding to the mental health needs of employees.

Offering flexibility in schedule and work hours

For many workers having autonomy over when, where, and how they work doesn’t just make them happier, it also makes them more productive. Offering flexible hours and letting employees set their sched- ule will remain top of mind for employers in order to attract and retain talent in 2023.

Integrating mental health into their workplace culture

Offering personal mental health days, companywide mental health days off, policies discouraging work email or messaging after hours and on weekends, and a practice of encouraging employees to take breaks throughout the workday.

Offering a four-day workweek option

Offering the option of a four-day workweek is likely to become much more common in the year ahead. 45 % of benefits leaders say their company already offers this perk, while 43% say they’re considering offering it in 2023.

Supporting employees' families

In March of 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency in children’s and teens’ mental health, noting the significant setbacks kids and teens have faced since the pandemic started. It’s a burden that weighs on the entire family. Mental health support for the entire family has become a more urgent priority for companies in the past year, resulting in the provision of more personalized mental health support for parents and caregivers. This growing investment may also be driven by more awareness than in the past of how children’s mental health issues affect parents’ work attendance and productivity.

Focusing on equipping managers to help employees thrive In 2023, expect to see employers offer more support and mental health-related training to managers who find themselves on the front lines of workforce mental health. Not seeing the trend in workplace mental health supports at your company? Talk to your HR or Administrative Departments within your company about how mental health supports can impact their bottom line.