Amid chronic worker shortages and increasing rates of employee burnout, labor participation rates are threatened and employers are challenged to retain top performers. Employees, meanwhile, are continuing to struggle with the unique challenges of working through the pandemic and have begun to ask for, and expect, more from their employers. Many companies have responded by providing broader benefits offerings. But more specifically, quality science-backed support for employee mental health is now critical to attract and retain top talent. But some needs — especially those of high-performing individuals — can easily go unnoticed and untreated.

Dr. Nick Taylor is CEO and co-founder of Unmind, the authoritative, trusted workplace mental health platform. Throughout his career, Dr. Taylor has always worked in mental health.

Even before the pandemic, substantive mental health support was gaining traction as a necessary workplace benefit — important not only for employee wellbeing, but also for company success and moral obligation. In addition to feeling more fulfilled, employees with positive mental health tend to be more productive. Indeed, poor mental health and stress can negatively affect job performance, productivity, and employee engagement, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.