Mental Health Benefits: Increasing Utilization to Drive Results
While mental health resources are prevalent in the workplace — particularly for large businesses where 78% of employees say they receive resources — uptake remains low with approximately one out of three employees participating. In an environment where nearly a quarter of adults live with a mental health condition and three out of four workers experience at least one symptom of a mental health condition in a given year, having a robust, well-used mental health benefits program isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity. When these programs are successful, they can improve employee well-being across the workplace and increase job productivity, satisfaction and retention.
Five Common Challenges Impacting Uptake on Mental Health Benefits
Despite increased availability of mental health resources, many employees still face practical and perceptual barriers that prevent them from accessing care. Understanding these five common barriers can help employers build programs employees are more likely to engage with:
- Workplace stigma around mental health conditions;
- Low leadership visibility and endorsement of mental health support;
- Benefits that don’t meet their specific needs or expectations;
- Lack of understanding around benefits and how to use them; and
- Difficulty accessing the full suite of mental health benefits.
Five Key Ways to Increase Mental Health Benefit Utilization
As employee mental health needs continue to evolve, companies have an opportunity to move beyond simply offering benefits to helping employees access and use them. Increasing utilization requires clear communication, manager engagement, reduced stigma and resources that are easy to access when employees need them most.
This resource offers practical guidance for delivering effective mental health support across five key practices to engage employees and increase utilization.
