Mental Health Benefits: An Urgent Call To Action For Employers

Talk of a recession is growing louder, and the job market is nervous—including the cohort of graduates that’s about to enter the workforce. Our recent research following the Class of 2023 found that half of college seniors are worried about their careers due to the current economic situation. Students are applying to jobs earlier, and they’re broadening their search to new industries.?

This uncertainty is fueling anxiety for all of us—from the C-suite to students eager to start their careers. And this new source of stress is layering on top of an existing mental health crisis that has been accelerating since the start of the pandemic.?

What can we do? What role should employers play in helping candidates and employees cope with stress while trying to manage and navigate their careers??

Earlier this month, I had a conversation with Lynsey Wherry, VP of HR, Corporate Functions at General Mills, during our latest InnovationXchange by Handshake executive roundtable. After 22 years at General Mills, starting as a campus hire and working her way up through the Talent and HR organizations to where she is today, Lynsey has a unique perspective on the role HR should play in supporting mental health, an area General Mills has been heavily investing in. Here are some highlights from our conversation—I hope you’ll find them as inspiring as I have.

The case for investing in mental health

Fewer than 1 in 3 employers see mental health as a top priority. But General Mills has doubled down on mental health benefits, even extending them to summer interns this year. This is great to see because it’s a big priority for the generation entering the workforce. Sixty-six percent of students we recently surveyed told us they’re prioritizing mental health because of the pandemic and would like to see support from employers.?

But what does investing in mental health look like in practice?

Lynsey told us that, first and foremost, it’s important to have a strong mental healthcare partner—one that can help you deliver outcomes. The median amount of time it takes General Mills employees to make an appointment with their mental health partner is 21 minutes. And within a day and a half, employees see a provider who can begin addressing their mental health challenges. This speedy turnaround time—from picking up the phone to receiving treatment—is a tiny fraction of the national average, which the National Council of Wellbeing reports is up to six weeks .?

Lynsey also emphasized that employers who are investing in mental health need to ensure they’re giving employees access to a diverse group of providers. Representation is a well-known issue in the mental health profession; one that I can personally speak to. In 2020, I quickly realized I needed to avail myself of my company’s mental health benefits to help me navigate the challenges of overseeing the welfare of tens of thousands of employees, but when I looked for a therapist who looked like me, I was not pleased with the options I saw. I was in a position to expand those resources for an entire company—so I did—but that’s not the case for the vast majority of US workers. It’s not enough to connect employees with mental health resources. We have to give them access to a wide range of service providers, so that every person feels comfortable reaching out for help.?

Measuring mental health outcomes

Investing in mental health isn’t just about optics. Lynsey and her team are seeing some really impressive results that truly demonstrate the value of mental health benefits. Sixty percent of the employees who have used this benefit to address depression have seen improvement after just two sessions. And 50% of those who sought help with anxiety have also seen improvement after two sessions. Lynsey told us that the industry average for this type of improvement is 10 to 12 sessions. The quality of care matters and should be tracked and measured when you’re investing in a mental health program.?

While extending benefits like mental health to interns isn’t common practice, Lynsey said it was a no-brainer. Being an intern doesn’t insulate people from the pressures of work, society, and the world. Why would we limit their access to the help they need to be successful? From my perspective, it’s no surprise that about 80% of General Mills’ full-time campus hires come from its internship program or that the company made the Forbes Top 100 Internship list last year.

I enjoyed my conversation with Lynsey so much and appreciated her candidly sharing her perspective and General Mills’ success around mental health. If you’re not already investing in mental health for your employees, I encourage you to have that first conversation with your leadership team. Together, we can remove the stigma and create a world where going to therapy is as mundane as going to the doctor for a physical check-up.?

Tomorrow’s leaders are paying attention to the choices we make around benefits today. As Lynsey told me—early-career workers have elevated this conversation, and they expect us to act. Doing so now will benefit everyone in the workforce.