Insurance company Guardian recently surveyed more than 2,000 employers and employees concerning mental health issues. Over 81% of employers said that mental health issues increased absences at their workplaces, 50% reported seeing an increase in mental health claims, and 30% admitted to an increase in claims related to postpartum depression.
In turn, as more employees take leave based on mental health issues, they are asking employers to provide them with the care and support they need while on leave. According to Guardian’s survey results, employees who experienced a positive leave with support from their employers were 75% more likely to stay at their jobs for five or more years. These survey results indicate that employers may wish to review their leave policies to improve their workers’ leave experiences.
Some attribute the increased incidence of mental health leave to a better awareness of mental health. Additionally, the presence of five generations in the workforce, each at different stages of life, understandably may result in mental stress. Even when leave is not primarily based on a mental health reason, the stress associated with the reason for the leave provides a secondary reason to take time off. For instance, having a baby may cause a worker to take leave, but the stress of the postpartum period often exacerbates the need to take leave. Likewise, taking disability leave after suffering injuries in a car accident may lead to financial stress that didn’t exist before the accident.
While the COVID-19 pandemic brought many mental health struggles to light, they were not as temporary as some people assumed they would be. Younger workers, especially, became more comfortable talking about their mental health challenges, which led to using leave time to deal with those challenges. Many now approach seeking care or taking leave for mental health reasons in the same way they would seek medical treatment for a physical injury.
From the employer’s perspective, leave has historically been seen as a transaction; something to be processed and completed as quickly as possible. However, employers are now trending toward a more holistic approach to leave, in which they aim to support workers during leave so they can regain their health and return to work. Similarly, employers should ensure that employees feel comfortable taking the mental health leave to which they are entitled whenever they need to take it. They can also take steps to help ease workers back into the workplace following leave. Overall, employers should focus on creating an atmosphere of empathy and support, which translates into employees who feel valued and cared for, and thus more likely to remain with their employers.
HBL has experience in all areas of benefits and employment law, offering a comprehensive solution to all your business benefits and HR/employment needs. We help ensure you are in compliance with the complex requirements of ERISA and the IRS code, as well as those laws that impact you and your employees. Together, we reduce your exposure to potential legal or financial penalties. Learn more by calling 470-571-1007.