Mental health is becoming a bigger priority for U.S. employers, says new report from a global consulting firm W.T.W.. The survey of 455 large employers found that 67% of U.S. employers plan to make employee mental health and emotional well-being programs and solutions one of their top three health priorities during the of the next three years. The number of employers offering designated days for mental health could triple, from 9% currently to 30% over the next two years.
The vast majority of survey respondents (88%) have done something to address the workforce Mental Health needs this year, with 83% offering tele-behavioral health this year and 9% more plan to do so in the next two years. While virtually all employers offer traditional employee assistance programs, seven in 10 (69%) offer dedicated onsite or virtual EAP resources. In addition, one in four employers (24%) plan to increase their EAP benefits over the next three years.
“COVID-19 has had a terrible impact on the lives of employees, including significantly worsening mental health,” Erin Terkoski Young, senior director of WTW’s Health, Equity and Wellbeing practice, said in a statement. “Although the pandemic has started to fade, mental health issues persist. Taking mental health programs to the next level won’t be easy, but successful employers will see improved productivity, retention and engagement.
The survey revealed several emotional well-being strategies that employers have implemented or plan or plan to deploy over the next three years.
- More than four in 10 employers (44%) currently provide training for managers, such as general mental health awareness or identification and intervention training. Another 30% are planning or considering this training in the next two years.
- Nearly four in 10 (38%) employers partner with employee resource groups to address population-specific mental health issues. 27% are planning or considering doing so.
- Two-thirds of employers (68%) currently offer digital behavioral health assistance. An additional 16% plan or plan to provide access to digital behavioral health support in the next two years.
- One in six employers (17%) assesses cultural competency within the network of behavioral health service providers. 27% are planning or considering doing so.
“Employers are very focused on supporting the mental health of their employees, especially as they seek to retain and engage talent,” Young said. “Those who prioritize employee mental health and increase access to virtual and digital solutions will be uniquely positioned to improve their ability to deliver much-needed care.”
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