As the 2024 benefits renewal season approaches, a new report sheds light on the complex landscape of employee mental health, highlighting both challenges and opportunities for organizations. The April 2024 TELUS Mental Health Index for the United States reveals a workforce grappling with exhaustion, burnout and motivational hurdles. Yet, amidst these struggles, the data also uncovers intriguing trends, particularly surrounding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the offering a glimpse into the evolving nature of worker wellbeing.

The TELUS Mental Health Index shows an overall score of 71.0 out of 100, indicating that many employees are experiencing ongoing stress and mental health challenges. Key findings from the report include:

• Exhaustion: A significant 34% of workers in the US often end their workday feeling mentally or physically exhausted.
• Burnout: Nearly half of workers show at least one indication of burnout, with 26% attributing their burnout to excessive workload.
• Motivation: Workers under 40 are two and a half times more likely than those over 50 to find it increasingly difficult to stay motivated at work.
• Gender differences: Women are 40% more likely than men to report feeling extremely burnt out.

The report also found that 35% of workers believe that AI will have a positive impact on the industry they work in. The best way to implement AI is to engage people from the start, helping them understand opportunities and provide input. With effective communication and a safe space for voicing ideas and concerns, undue anxieties are less likely, leading to more successful adoption for everyone and a reduced risk of negatively impacting the mental wellbeing and productivity of employees

Given these challenges, what can employers do to support and improve employee mental health? Here are several evidence-based strategies:

Address burnout proactively

Nearly a quarter of workers (23%) report they're finding it harder to feel motivated to do their work. These workers have the worst mental health score (52.2), more than 25 points lower than workers who report being motivated and nearly 19 points lower than the national average (71.0). Workers younger than 40 are more than twice as likely to lack motivation. With burnout affecting such a significant portion of the workforce, organizations should:

• Conduct regular workload assessments and redistribute tasks when necessary.
• Encourage and model healthy work-life boundaries, including respect for off-hours and vacation time.
• Offer flexibility in work arrangements where possible, allowing employees to better manage personal and professional demands.
• Implement regular check-ins between managers and employees to discuss workload, stress levels and potential support needs.

Enhance mental health resources and awareness

The report found that nearly two-thirds of respondents (6%) said their employer did not offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or was not sure whether it did. The mental health scores of this group were at least three points lower than workers with an EAP. Nearly 38% heard about their EAP during benefits enrollment. To ensure employees are aware of the resources available to them, employers should:

• Regularly promote EAPs and mental health benefits through multiple channels.
• Provide mental health first aid training to managers and HR professionals.
• Consider offering digital mental health tools or apps that provide 24/7 support and resources.

Provide skills training for the AI era

To alleviate anxiety around AI and technological change:

• Offer training programs to help employees develop AI-related skills and understand how these tools can enhance their work.
• Clearly communicate the organization's AI strategy and how it will impact different roles.
• Provide opportunities for employees to participate in discussions about AI implementation in their departments.

Prioritize manager training and support

Managers play a crucial role in employee wellbeing, yet they also have experienced a decline in mental health scores (71.9), although it remains higher than that of non-managers (70.4). As managers are on the front lines with employees, organizations should offer to:

• Train managers to recognize signs of mental health struggles and burnout in their team members.
• Equip managers with the skills to have supportive conversations about mental health and guide employees to appropriate resources.
• Ensure managers themselves have access to mental health support, as they often face high levels of stress.

Create a culture of wellbeing

To truly improve mental health outcomes, wellbeing must be woven into the fabric of organizational culture:

• Regularly communicate the importance of mental health from leadership.
• Integrate wellbeing metrics into performance evaluations and company KPIs.
• Encourage employees to use their vacation time and mental health days without stigma.
• Offer wellness programs that address various aspects of health: physical, mental, financial and social.

Read more: Why employers should invest in their employees' mental health