4 Ways to Support Employee Mental Health Year ‘Round

Employers and benefits professionals play a crucial role in helping organizations support the mental and physical wellbeing of employees, not only during notable times of workplace stress and pressure, but all year ‘round.

When you consider recent data that shows 92% of people feel it’s important that their employer supports their mental health, the rationale for investing in workplace mental health becomes clear. However, benefits professionals may struggle with maintaining awareness and engagement in mental wellbeing throughout the year due to a lack of resources, limited expertise on the subject, and limited benefits coverage for these services.

To help address this need, while creating a workplace culture that prioritizes mental health for employees and their dependents, here are four ways benefits professionals can better utilize existing offerings to support employee mental health.

1. Educate employees about current benefits that support mental health. Health plan coverage has evolved in recent years to include mental health benefits, but this is only helpful if employees are aware of these benefits and how to use them. It’s also important that employees understand how to bridge the gap between what their health plan covers and what their personal needs are. Supplemental benefits, like a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) can help employees pay for mental health services that may not be covered by their health plan. HR teams should educate employees about services that are available through their company-sponsored health plan, such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and make sure they understand how to use tax-free FSA and HSA funds to supplement the cost of therapy, counseling services, or pharmaceuticals needed to manage and improve their mental health.
2. Offer virtual health services to supplement covered benefits. Accessing in-person, clinical mental health services continues to be a challenge, particularly those in rural communities. In fact, one recent report showed that 75% of people in rural communities do not have access to mental health care. Offering virtual health or care solutions, like BetterHelp, can be an effective way to ensure that employees and their dependents get the care they need, when they need it. And the good news is, virtual support integrates easily into the existing benefits program for employers. Meanwhile, employees can pay for these services with their FSA or HSA funds.
3. Create awareness and support for a healthy mind-body connection. Don’t assume that employees understand the vital connection between a healthy body and a healthy mind. Take time to educate employees throughout the year about how nutrition, sleep, physical activity, mindfulness, and prevention can positively influence their mental health. And because financial stress can detract from mental wellbeing, make employees aware of benefits like fitness club discounts, onsite health services, and other discount programs that help them save money while balancing their mental and physical health. It’s also important that employees understand how to use FSA or HSA funds to purchase products and services that support their physical wellbeing, such as pain relief products, acupressure devices, migraine relief devices, and a wide variety of over-the-counter medications to prevent and treat illness that can affect mood, stress levels, and overall mental wellbeing.
4. Create workplace policies that support employee mental health. Adjusting or adapting your workplace policies is a great place to start if you want to create a culture that supports employee mental health. Policy changes can be easy to implement and cost very little but can make a significant difference in the lives of employees. For example, blocking off calendars on Fridays to reduce meetings and give employees time to complete work before the weekend can relieve stress and allow employees to look forward to Mondays, while alleviating the “Sunday blues.” Encouraging employees to take a mental health day periodically so they can decompress and hit the mental “Reset” button is another easy way to foster a supportive culture.

As employers of all sizes and industries continue to feel the impact of burnout and poor mental health on hiring, retention, and productivity, employers, HR teams, and benefits professionals can be part of the solution by taking steps to educate employees about mental health benefits and create a culture that supports employees throughout the year.

Steve Jackson is senior vice president of sales for Health-E Commerce, parent brand to FSA Store and HSA Store Natali Notzon is director of partnerships for BetterHelp.