How workplaces are helping employees with mental health challenges

Employers can support employees and managers in a mental-health friendly workplace

According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion each year, mainly from reduced productivity. Even though 1 in 5 people has coped or will cope with a mental health challenge, there remains a great deal of stigma and misperception about mental health in the workplace.

In January 2024, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) conducted a poll focusing on full-time workers employed at companies with at least 100 employees. The report highlighted several data points and areas of focus for employers who are interested in supporting their workforce in the area of mental health.

Employees are willing to talk about mental health, but managers don’t know how

Mental health challenges can show up in a wide variety of situations – from day-one onboarding to the daily work environment. Because mental health is an “invisible” disability, it can be hard to understand the situations a specific individual might find challenging. In addition, many employees are uncomfortable sharing information about their mental health at work due to worries about stigma or retaliation. 

What employers can do

• Provide training to your managers. 7 in 10 senior-level employees say they have not received workplace training around how to talk about mental health with the people they supervise. 
• Start conversations. More than 75% of employees think supervisors, HR and senior leadership should be responsible for helping employees feel comfortable discussing mental health at work. Unfortunately, only 63% of direct managers agree their company provides them with the proper resources to support the mental health of their direct reports. When a company provides conversation opportunities and resources, it can support the first step towards a healthier workplace. 

If you think someone is struggling with a mental health concern 

Remember, you don’t need to be an expert to start a conversation. There is no need to have all the answers. Simply listening and helping a coworker find and connect to resources can help prevent burnout and improve satisfaction at work.  Employees aren’t aware of employer-provided supports 

1 in 4 employees say they don’t know if their employer offers mental healthcare coverage

Most employees learn about their insurance benefits on day one during onboarding – a day that can be stressful and exhausting. Remember your first day on the job? You had to navigate a new route to work, figure out what door to use for entry, met multiple people, signed all kinds of paperwork and were asked to remember a ton of new information. Now imagine how the first day feels to someone recovering from a mental health challenge or a person starting their very first job. The information overload is real. Plus, an employee who has never managed their own health insurance benefits might not understand everything they hear. In fact, 31% of entry-level employees whose employer offers, or might offer, mental healthcare coverage don’t know how to access their coverage benefits.  

What employers can do 

• Remind employees about the benefits and supports available to them on an annual basis, or more often if possible. Explain how to access these benefits. 
• Provide tools to help managers share information about available resources. Think about what might work at your company – posters, business cards, meeting announcements, and lunch & learns are all good ways to share this information. 
• Keep repeating the message. An employee might not hear the message the first time or even the second or third time – people hear things when they matter to them. You never know when the message will suddenly resonate. 

Visit the Mental Health Toolkit for access to free downloadable resources for your workplace

Providing opportunities for flexibility and control is key

The World Health Organization studied a wide variety of approaches to addressing workplace mental health at an organizational level. Their research looked at the impact of flexible working arrangements, job design, changes to workload or breaks and the physical work environment. Although some strategies were more effective than others, their research indicated that allowing workers to have as much control as possible around decision-making in their job, and that including workers in the design of interventions provides a significant decrease in mental health symptoms.

What employers can do:

• Remember that solutions are not one size fits all. Include employees in problem-solving. 
• Ask for help. Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division and Goodwill’s IPS team offer resources and supports to individuals and organizations that can help increase success in the workplace.

Much like the curb cut effect and other changes made in our society thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, when organizations support employee mental health, it benefits each employee, their coworkers, and the company. Improved mental health also benefits the employee’s family, their friends and their community.