Unaligned needs
Mental health problems among employees have been on the rise, particularly since the pandemic. In 2022, around 10% of employees said they suffered from chronic depression, compared with 6% in 2021. What's more, around a third of employees say they are often irritable, lonely or depressed, and feel that their managers are not concerned about their well-being. Despite companies' determination to improve working conditions, only 50% of employees perceive a real improvement in well-being within their organization.
Barriers to accessing resources
Almost a third of employees are reluctant to seek help because of stigma, confidentiality concerns and lack of information about available resources. What's more, although employee assistance programs (EAP) or family assistance programs (FAP) exist, access to them is often complex. Finding an available professional, understanding reimbursement terms and conditions, and getting around insurance restrictions are all obstacles that limit the effectiveness of these programs.
Poor management of mental health in the workplace can lead to high rates of absenteeism and presenteeism, increased disability claims and higher medical costs. It also has a direct impact on the retention and attractiveness of companies, particularly with younger generations who place well-being at the heart of their professional priorities.
Mental health has many components. In the workplace, it involves not only the individual, but also management practices and work organization. This makes it, on the one hand, a co-responsibility and, on the other, a co-creation of programs aimed at fostering engagement and mobilization, as we shall now see.
Towards an effective wellness strategy
To achieve concrete improvements in employee mental health, Lyra's study suggests that companies take the following steps:
- Analyze the data: Examining medical and disability claims, sick leave costs and prescription drug use helps identify gaps and adjust programs accordingly.
- Targeting real needs: A thorough analysis must answer key questions: do employees have affordable, simplified access to counseling services? Are current offerings sufficient? Are resources equitably accessible to all employee groups?
- Communicate and raise awareness: Setting up mental health awareness campaigns and offering training to managers and employees helps to destigmatize psychological problems and encourage the use of available resources.
- Involve management: For a wellness strategy to work, the involvement of senior management is crucial. They must embody these initiatives, foster a caring corporate culture and ensure that the measures put in place are effectively implemented.
Going beyond what's already being done
Mental well-being in the workplace can no longer be treated as a simple box to tick. Employers need to go beyond conventional solutions and adopt a more holistic approach to health across the operational aspects of the business, and customized to meet individual needs. By truly listening to employees' needs and adapting their strategies, they can not only improve the mental health of their workforce, but also boost productivity, engagement and talent retention. A win-win investment for all.
To find out more :
Team health: focus on well-being for better performance.
