A recent study found that two thirds of employers are disappointed with the current state of mental health benefits in the workplace. While employers recognize the importance of mental health support, they often struggle to offer comprehensive coverage due to cost and complexity. The traditional approach of providing mental health support through employer-sponsored health plans and EAPs has not effectively met the varied needs of employees, is oftentimes cost-prohibitive, lacks specialized providers, and frequently involves long wait times.

To effectively support employee mental health and total wellbeing, employers should prioritize year-round education, culture building, and tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of their demographics. By investing in mental health support, employers can improve employee wellbeing, increase productivity, and ultimately create a more positive and supportive workplace culture.

• Assess your people's unique needs: The lesson learned from embedded EAPs is that a check-the-box solution without engagement tactics or tailored support for employees falls short of meeting their needs and is underutilized. To implement effective changes, it is important to understand the unique preferences of employees and gather feedback on what types of benefits would be most impactful. For example, would your people most benefit from teletherapy, stress-relief tools, resources for burnout, financial coaching to ease financial stress, a more flexible work schedule, DEIB focused-resources, or other? This feedback will enable you to select the most suitable options for your workforce and provide employees with the best possible experience, both professionally and personally.

• Offer accessible mental health support: Employees are eager to use employer-provided mental health resources when they are available and accessible. Embedded EAPs, however, yield little utilization (around 2-3%) because they are generally difficult to navigate and access. Data based on OneDigital's book of business indicates that forward-thinking clients are combatting this disparity in mental health care by implementing more comprehensive, third-party solutions. These solutions range across the spectrum of mental health, from self-guided stress-relief tools to substance misuse support to virtual therapy.

• Prioritize mental health literacy: Differences in culture, background, and geography can significantly impact people's knowledge of mental health and openness to seeking care. Though mental health is less stigmatized now compared to previous decades, many are still reluctant to seek care or talk openly about their emotional or behavioral struggles with HR or a provider. Moreover, lack of access to mental health services, language barriers, and financial constraints can also prevent people from receiving the care they need. Therefore, it is crucial to overcome these disparities and not only address literacy when it comes to mental health but parallel barriers to total wellbeing, including financial and benefits literacy. To ensure that employees can understand and utilize their benefits effectively, it is vital to have a year-round health and benefits education strategy.

What is mental health literacy?

• Understanding of risk factors and signs of mental & emotional distress
• Knowledge of self-help techniques
• Understanding of how to obtain and maintain good mental health
• Awareness of employer-sponsored mental health benefits
• Openness to recognizing and seeking appropriate help
• Familiarity with how to access mental health resources

• Build a culture of understanding and inclusion: It's no secret that burnout and stress are plaguing the modern workplace. When leaders prioritize empathy, they create a workplace where employees feel valued and supported. This can increase job satisfaction and a more positive work environment overall. By fostering an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns, leaders can gain valuable insights into what their team needs to thrive. This can help employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work.

• Employees who feel they have to choose between their personal and professional lives are more likely to experience distress and burnout. By offering flexible schedules, remote work options, and other benefits that support work-life balance, organizations can help employees feel more in control of their lives.

Related: One-size-fits-all approach doesn't work