On average, workers in the United States who reduced spending on prescription medications due to inflation have a mental health score of 52.8, which is 19 points below the national average.

• Individuals who say inflation caused them to reduce spending on general health-related expenses scored 58.1, nearly 14 points below the national average.
• Workers without emergency savings are more than three times as likely to cut health-related expenses as those with emergency savings and more than four times as likely to cut prescription spending.
• Workers in the United States who report a decline in their marital/partner relationship are most likely to report financial pressure as a key reason (22%). This group has a mental health score of 52.0.

Among the contributing causes to these findings, TELUS said, were an avoidance of social interactions, especially prevalent among those 40 years old and younger; and an increasing inability to control one's emotions, often driven by a lack of emergency savings.

Paula Allen, Global Leader, Research and Total Well-being for TELUS Health, offered advice for plan sponsors and advisors to help employees and their families better cope with the current stressors. She said members often do not know the range of resources available to them in their benefits packages, and are often unaware of counseling included in the company's employee assistance program.

Related: Mental health: Prioritizing access to services and treatment for employees is key

"Ongoing communication of the resources that are available is critical," Allen said. "Oftentimes, employees don't know the breadth of what is available to them, even though they are paying into a plan. We also need to appreciate that people rarely retain what they hear once or twice. Think about the success factors of marketing in other areas as a guide. Communication that is relatable, has information on what the individual can do next and is repeated frequently, will go further. When employers take an active role in communicating health benefits and services, employees feel like their workplace is not only dedicated to their success on the job, but supports their personal needs as well."

Many employees do not know their EAP can provide help that is affordable and immediately available to them through their work.

"We know that cost is as much of a barrier as time. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are free to employees, fully confidential, and offer a range of support. EAPs are designed to remove the barrier of paying up-front for counseling before getting a reimbursement. It also solves the issues of finding a counselor who is experienced, suitable for your issues and who has the benefit of both supervision and ongoing training to ensure a high standard of clinical work."

The knowledge gap between what employees believe they know and what exists is sometimes related to a lack of knowledge on the part of company leaders about contents of the benefits plan.

"First and foremost, employers can ensure their management team has the knowledge and tools they need to help support mental health in the workplace. Management training on workplace mental health makes a huge difference in culture and in the use of services. Employers should also be thinking about how to simplify the employee journey, and solve the most significant practical challenges that employees have," she said.

Virtual pharmacies, now much more readily available to benefits consultant and sponsors, can provide a lower cost prescription option for those who are not adhering to medication due to financial concerns.

"Virtual pharmacies are not only cost effective for the employee and the plan sponsor, they offer fast and reliable online access to prescription medications, automatic refill reminders, free delivery, consultations with a pharmacist by phone or video, and more," she said.