Nov 03, 2021
While the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on mental health, only 31% of employees say their employers have stepped up efforts to address employee wellbeing, according to a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Nearly half of employees say mental health wellness programs are more important now than they were before the pandemic. Less than half are satisfied with their work-life balance, which could significantly affect mental health.
Only 32 percent say their health plan offers mental health resources. Thirty-one percent say their employer offers access to free counseling and 27% say their employer offers a healthcare navigator. Sixty percent of employees who do have access to these benefits are interested in them.
The survey also reveals that more than half of employees are satisfied with their employer-sponsored health benefits, though many face rising healthcare costs. One in three employees experienced increased healthcare costs in 2021. “Employees have experienced…increasing contributions to HSAs and decreasing contributions to their retirement plan..,” said Paul Fronstin of EBRI.
