Most companies provide a diverse offering of perks and benefits aimed at improving employee well-being. But employers are beginning to think beyond physical wellness and fun office step challenges and look at employee well-being in a more holistic manner.
In doing so, they're starting to focus on the impact of mental health in the workplace. And why not? It turns out, as Mental Health America's 2017 survey found, 1 in 5 adults live with a mental health condition, which totals more than 40 million adult Americans.
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Ignoring the impact mental health has on employee well-being leads to hefty business costs. Our most recent infographic explores how poor mental health can impact your employees and the workplace. Employees start to disengage, their productivity suffers, and they may even miss more work days.
To combat this, you need to focus on breaking down the stigmas that keep employees from addressing their mental health.
The best way to accomplish this is by promoting the benefits you offer that can help them manage their mental health. After all, they won't use a benefit they didn't know existed.
Here are a few tips on how to promote some of the benefits you may be offering:
Health insurance
Given the recent efforts to begin repealing the Affordable Care Act, a lot of Americans are left confused and concerned about the state of health insurance.
A February 2016 survey conducted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) found that most employees are confused by their benefits — only 19 percent of employers say their employees have a high level of understanding.
The nature of health insurance is complex, which is why communication is key. However, despite their best efforts, employers can't get it to click with their staff. In fact, as the IFEBP survey found, 80 percent of employers don't think their employees even open or read information they provide about them.
This is especially concerning because understanding health insurance benefits is crucial to making informed decisions about enrollment and services like mental health counseling.
So how can you make a connection?
Tip: Incorporate interactive educational materials in your benefits communication to better engage your staff with information about their benefits. This way, they're not just throwing away their handbooks.
For example, design a digital scavenger hunt that encourages employees to conduct their own research about different types of health insurance plans. This can also familiarize them with common terms they need to know.
When they do their own research, they're more likely to understand and retain the information. Use prizes and rewards to encourage participation.
Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
EAPs are evolving, taking a holistic approach to employee well-being. But most people only think about counseling when they hear about these programs.
However, beyond counseling, EAPs also provide legal consultations, childcare information, and even financial well-being services. By targeting aspects like financial stress, these programs are more effective than ever before.
The American Psychological Association's Stress In America report from February 2015 found that 72 percent of adults feel stressed about money at least some of the time, and 22 percent experience extreme financial stress. The burden of living paycheck to paycheck can hurt someone's mental health.
Unfortunately, these EAP services are underutilized because companies fail to promote them. The set-it-and-forget-it strategy of distributing wallet cards during onboarding is antiquated and ineffective.
Tip: Distribute 'did you know' messages through email and post them on the intranet. These will provide a quick glimpse at services being offered through the EAP.
They also can include testimonials. Ask employees to share success stories so your staff can hear from their colleagues about how beneficial EAP services are.
Mental health initiatives
Benefit offerings are becoming increasingly diverse. In fact, a February 2015 survey conducted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) found a growing emphasis on less traditional initiatives like mental health coverage.
When you offer mental health benefits, such as stress management programs, coverage of mental health services, and critical incident counseling, you should make employees feel comfortable using them.
Stigmas will cost you immensely because they are hurting employee well-being, and therefore making your staff less profitable. The more you promote these services, the more comfortable employees will be using them.
Tip: Start mental health awareness campaigns. Every month, create a theme and offer tips on managing that mental disorder.
Use these campaigns to refer employees to these benefits and services. You want employee well-being to be a main focus of your culture, and employee well-being includes mental health.
If you offer these benefits or are considering offering them, make communication a priority and promote them in engaging, creative ways.
How are you promoting benefits addressing mental health? Share in the comments.
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