# Employee Demand Sparks Surge in Mental Health Benefits Expansion
Research on workplace empathy reveals alarming gaps between employees’ mental health needs and the support they receive from employers. About 90% of employees consider mental health benefits important during enrollment, yet only 35% report having access to them.
Workplace mental health discussions were once taboo, but this is changing rapidly. Even high-level executives are opening up about personal experiences. In a recent workplace empathy study, 55% of CEOs reported experiencing a mental health issue in the last year—a 24-point increase from the previous year.
To address rising psychological strain, many employers are expanding their mental health benefits. A Mercer survey found that 94% of large employers have strengthened mental healthcare coverage, increased support, or started new mental health programs in the past three years.
The business case for expanded mental health benefits is clear. From behavioral health programs to employee assistance programs (EAPs), mental health benefits generate significant ROI through reduced medical claims costs and increased productivity. EAPs now rank among the top three benefits in preference surveys of over 43,000 employees.
## 4 Mental Health Benefits Showing Impact
Many new solutions have made broadening mental health benefits easier. From virtual options to one-on-one coaching, innovative employee support is available in various models. Here are four examples with proven workplace wellness results:
**Flexible work schedules**: Companies are formalizing flexible schedules and work locations with company-wide policies. Four-day workweeks are gaining popularity, with 22% of employers now offering this option—up 8 points in just two years. These policies standardize expectations while reassuring employees who might worry about surprise return-to-office mandates.
**Mental health days off**: Designated days for rest and rejuvenation acknowledge that psychological health is as important as physical health. Work-life balance now ranks higher than pay for 79% of workers globally—the first time in 22 years that wellbeing has outranked compensation in importance. As companies implement return-to-office mandates, finding creative ways to enable stress management will be essential for talent retention.
**Virtual therapy**: Digital platforms increase access to mental health support by making connections to licensed therapists more convenient and affordable. This is especially valuable for employers with dispersed teams, as more than half of the U.S. population lives in designated “Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas.” Research shows virtual therapy reduces absenteeism and presenteeism (working while ill).
**Financial coaching**: Money problems are major anxiety contributors, with 48% of employees admitting they would panic over unexpected medical expenses. This concern is even higher among younger workers (62% of Gen Z, 50% of Millennials). One-on-one financial coaching provides personalized guidance while introducing employees to relevant benefits they may not understand—important since 86% of employees report confusion about their benefits.
## Thinking Beyond Traditional Benefits
Beyond formal coverages, safeguarding employee mental health can take many forms. Some companies have found creative, low-cost ways to reduce tension and burnout:
– A healthcare company overhauled its PTO policy to add flexibility, allowing employees to cash out PTO early or maintain “bankers’ hours,” resulting in better retention and satisfaction
– A global financial services firm offers additional time off for career development, caregiving, and volunteering—separate from regular PTO
– Businessolver rewards tenured employees with funded trips after reaching milestone anniversaries, providing opportunities for relaxation and family time
## Benefits Awareness Is Critical for Success
Regardless of how thoughtful a mental health benefits strategy is, employees can only use benefits they know about. HR professionals should “Think Like a Marketers” to increase awareness and perceived relevance.
With deeper benefits offerings, ensuring all employees understand how programs relate to their unique circumstances becomes challenging. Strategic communications powered by generative AI and decision support engines can achieve personalization at scale.
The results are impressive: employers using personalized reminders see an 18% impression-to-activation rate, and 85% of employees who engaged with personalized decision support during enrollment reported feeling confident in their benefits choices.
## Creating Personalized Benefits Marketing
HR teams can deploy several strategies to personalize mental health benefits marketing:
**Speak directly to individuals**: Custom communications based on proven user experience practices that address specific employee circumstances drive higher engagement rates.
**Offer smart, individualized prompts**: Personalized nudges for relevant benefits generate an 18% average increase in benefits activation through clicks, calls, and other engagement.
**Integrate adaptive virtual assistants**: AI tools like chatbots can uncover “the question behind the question” during employee interactions. For example, when asked about therapy session deductibles, Businessolver’s virtual assistant Sofia answers the question while reminding employees about additional available benefits like EAPs.
Benefits marketing must consider the full employee journey. Someone newly diagnosed with a panic disorder may suddenly need care navigation even if it wasn’t previously relevant. Creating campaigns that drive high recall is essential.
Storytelling and testimonials make benefits memorable. Many solution providers already have content ready for clients to use in their communications.
## Balancing Costs With Care
Despite the strong business case for mental health investments, rising healthcare costs (up to 9% by some estimates) challenge HR’s ability to secure buy-in for wellbeing initiatives.
Articulating ROI strategies helps build consensus. With marketing approaches and personalization technology, HR can position mental health benefits expansion not as an expense but as a strategic investment in the people driving business success.
# Employee Demand Sparks Surge in Mental Health Benefits Expansion
Research on workplace empathy reveals alarming gaps between employees’ mental health needs and the support they receive from employers. About 90% of employees consider mental health benefits important during enrollment, yet only 35% report having access to them.
Workplace mental health discussions were once taboo, but this is changing rapidly. Even high-level executives are opening up about personal experiences. In a recent workplace empathy study, 55% of CEOs reported experiencing a mental health issue in the last year—a 24-point increase from the previous year.
To address rising psychological strain, many employers are expanding their mental health benefits. A Mercer survey found that 94% of large employers have strengthened mental healthcare coverage, increased support, or started new mental health programs in the past three years.
The business case for expanded mental health benefits is clear. From behavioral health programs to employee assistance programs (EAPs), mental health benefits generate significant ROI through reduced medical claims costs and increased productivity. EAPs now rank among the top three benefits in preference surveys of over 43,000 employees.
## 4 Mental Health Benefits Showing Impact
Many new solutions have made broadening mental health benefits easier. From virtual options to one-on-one coaching, innovative employee support is available in various models. Here are four examples with proven workplace wellness results:
**Flexible work schedules**: Companies are formalizing flexible schedules and work locations with company-wide policies. Four-day workweeks are gaining popularity, with 22% of employers now offering this option—up 8 points in just two years. These policies standardize expectations while reassuring employees who might worry about surprise return-to-office mandates.
**Mental health days off**: Designated days for rest and rejuvenation acknowledge that psychological health is as important as physical health. Work-life balance now ranks higher than pay for 79% of workers globally—the first time in 22 years that wellbeing has outranked compensation in importance. As companies implement return-to-office mandates, finding creative ways to enable stress management will be essential for talent retention.
**Virtual therapy**: Digital platforms increase access to mental health support by making connections to licensed therapists more convenient and affordable. This is especially valuable for employers with dispersed teams, as more than half of the U.S. population lives in designated “Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas.” Research shows virtual therapy reduces absenteeism and presenteeism (working while ill).
**Financial coaching**: Money problems are major anxiety contributors, with 48% of employees admitting they would panic over unexpected medical expenses. This concern is even higher among younger workers (62% of Gen Z, 50% of Millennials). One-on-one financial coaching provides personalized guidance while introducing employees to relevant benefits they may not understand—important since 86% of employees report confusion about their benefits.
## Thinking Beyond Traditional Benefits
Beyond formal coverages, safeguarding employee mental health can take many forms. Some companies have found creative, low-cost ways to reduce tension and burnout:
– A healthcare company overhauled its PTO policy to add flexibility, allowing employees to cash out PTO early or maintain “bankers’ hours,” resulting in better retention and satisfaction
– A global financial services firm offers additional time off for career development, caregiving, and volunteering—separate from regular PTO
– Businessolver rewards tenured employees with funded trips after reaching milestone anniversaries, providing opportunities for relaxation and family time
## Benefits Awareness Is Critical for Success
Regardless of how thoughtful a mental health benefits strategy is, employees can only use benefits they know about. HR professionals should “Think Like a Marketers” to increase awareness and perceived relevance.
With deeper benefits offerings, ensuring all employees understand how programs relate to their unique circumstances becomes challenging. Strategic communications powered by generative AI and decision support engines can achieve personalization at scale.
The results are impressive: employers using personalized reminders see an 18% impression-to-activation rate, and 85% of employees who engaged with personalized decision support during enrollment reported feeling confident in their benefits choices.
## Creating Personalized Benefits Marketing
HR teams can deploy several strategies to personalize mental health benefits marketing:
**Speak directly to individuals**: Custom communications based on proven user experience practices that address specific employee circumstances drive higher engagement rates.
**Offer smart, individualized prompts**: Personalized nudges for relevant benefits generate an 18% average increase in benefits activation through clicks, calls, and other engagement.
**Integrate adaptive virtual assistants**: AI tools like chatbots can uncover “the question behind the question” during employee interactions. For example, when asked about therapy session deductibles, Businessolver’s virtual assistant Sofia answers the question while reminding employees about additional available benefits like EAPs.
Benefits marketing must consider the full employee journey. Someone newly diagnosed with a panic disorder may suddenly need care navigation even if it wasn’t previously relevant. Creating campaigns that drive high recall is essential.
Storytelling and testimonials make benefits memorable. Many solution providers already have content ready for clients to use in their communications.
## Balancing Costs With Care
Despite the strong business case for mental health investments, rising healthcare costs (up to 9% by some estimates) challenge HR’s ability to secure buy-in for wellbeing initiatives.
Articulating ROI strategies helps build consensus. With marketing approaches and personalization technology, HR can position mental health benefits expansion not as an expense but as a strategic investment in the people driving business success.