Addressing Employee Mental Health: A Call to Action for HR Leaders

With mental resilience on the decline, mental health challenges have become a growing concern among U.S. workers. The increasing demands of the workplace, coupled with personal stressors, are taking a significant toll on employee well-being. Yet, many employees remain unaware of the resources available to help them cope. Human Resource (HR) leaders are in a unique position to address this issue, improve workplace mental health, and foster a culture of care and productivity. Here’s why mental health should be at the top of your priority list and what you can do to address it.

Recent research by the Society for Human Resource Management ( SHRM ) underscores the alarming scope of the mental health challenges U.S. workers face. A significant portion of employees suffer from mental health issues, but many are unaware of the benefits their employers provide to support them. This lack of awareness and utilization is costly: untreated mental health conditions can cost organizations up to $60,000 annually, and across the nation, this adds up to a staggering $105 billion per year.

For HR leaders, the message is clear—mental health issues left unaddressed are not only detrimental to employees but also to the financial health of the organization.

Burnout: A Growing Threat to Productivity

Burnout is one of the most pressing issues impacting today’s workforce. Nearly 45% of workers report feeling burned out, making them almost three times more likely to be actively searching for another job. This exodus of talent can lead to high turnover rates and a loss of institutional knowledge.

Even more concerning is the impact burnout has on productivity. Only 40% of burned-out employees exceed expectations in their roles, compared to 56% of their non-burned-out counterparts. This drop in performance can significantly affect a company’s bottom line, creating ripple effects across the organization.

Understanding the causes of stress is critical to mitigating it. According to SHRM’s research, about one-third of employees cite stress as a direct consequence of their jobs. The top drivers are workload, compensation, poor management, and understaffing.

Burnout can also be from a lack of flow. According to the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, when skill levels are low, but challenges in the workplace are great, this can lead to worry and anxiety. Employees are not getting the training and mentorship needed to keep up with the challenges of their work, leading to higher levels of anxiety, stress, and burnout. When employees are constantly overwhelmed by their responsibilities, they are unable to perform at their best. What’s more, the effects of one employee’s stress can spill over to their coworkers, leading to team-wide frustration, resentment, and even more stress as colleagues pick up the slack.

How to Address Mental Health in the Workplace

While it may be impossible to eliminate stress entirely, there are practical steps employers can take to mitigate its impact. Employers can start by redesigning roles to better distribute workloads, offering more flexible schedules, matching strengths with employees' tasks, offering training and mentorship programs or increasing time off to allow employees to recharge. These changes are within the organization’s control and can dramatically reduce the risk of burnout.

However, even with these adjustments, only 40% of burned-out employees feel that their leadership models good mental health practices. This points to a gap in leadership accountability and the need for managers to demonstrate their commitment to mental health actively.

Tell them, Tell them and then Tell them again.

One of the key issues to improving employee mental health is a lack of awareness about available resources. A substantial portion of workers (70%) either do not know about or are only somewhat aware of their employer-provided mental health benefits. Moreover, employees often feel uncomfortable asking for information or utilizing these benefits, which further compounds the issue. To combat this, HR leaders must communicate mental health resources clearly and consistently throughout the year—not just during open enrollment. Regular, ongoing communication about mental health benefits will ensure that employees know where to find help when needed.

Leadership Accountability and Fostering a Supportive Culture

Leaders play a critical role in shaping workplace culture. To promote mental well-being, leaders must not only talk about the importance of mental health but also lead by example. This includes modeling healthy behaviors like taking time off to recharge, encouraging employees to prioritize their well-being, and fostering an environment where discussing mental health is normalized.

All leaders should be trained in mental health awareness and the Columbia Protocol and lead with empathy. Leaders who do not take care of their own mental health may be the social contagion that drives other employees down. Life Force Wellness LLC offers programs to train employees and leaders on the importance of mental health and these practices to promote a culture of positivity and psychological safety.

Most importantly, HR leaders and senior management must act based on employee feedback. If an organization surveys its workforce about their mental health needs but then fails to implement changes, employees will lose trust in leadership. Once that trust is lost, it is difficult to regain.

HR leaders have an enormous responsibility—and an equally enormous opportunity—to address the growing mental health crisis in the workplace. Organizations can improve employee well-being and productivity by taking concrete steps to redesign roles, reduce stressors, train leaders, and communicate benefits more effectively. Leaders must also ensure their actions align with their words, demonstrating a genuine commitment to mental health through policy and example.

The cost of doing nothing is too high—for employees and the organization. The time to act is now.

If you need help implementing strategies in your organization, please contact Life Force Wellness LLC by visiting our website at www.lifeforcewellness.com or emailing [email protected].