Addressing workplace mental health: The long-term financial and behavioral implications

There is a huge opportunity for employers to play a role in creating space for better mental health. (Photo: Shutterstock)

It’s no secret that the U.S. is in the midst of a behavioral and mental health crisis, which is being fueled in large part by the ongoing pandemic. As a result, we are seeing the White House hone in on addressing the crisis. President Biden has laid out a mental health strategy designed to “strengthen system capacity, connect more Americans to care, and create a continuum of support–transforming our health and social services infrastructure to address mental health holistically and equitably.”

While there are many key aspects to addressing mental health in today’s society, one area that must not be overlooked is mental health in the workplace. Savvy employers are starting to recognize that investing in employee mental health pays financial dividends. According to SilverCloud’s 2021 Employee Health and Mental Wellbeing Report, about 55% of employees are languishing on the mental health spectrum in a state of mild to moderate distress, and that has major repercussions: People with such levels of distress report over 3.25 of unproductive work hours per day (compared to two hours for non-distressed employees).