The increase in acceptance and awareness is being met by real action, too. A 2021 study on employer health benefits reported that almost 39% of employers have made changes to health benefits offerings to meet the mental health needs of employees since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And the added support for workforces appears to be having an impact. In fact, one study found that employees who felt supported by their employer in 2021 (61%) reported several positive benefits, including being:

Less likely to experience symptoms of poor mental health
Less likely to underperform and miss work
More likely to feel comfortable talking about mental health at work
More satisfied with their job and more likely to stay in their company
Dr. Heather Bolton is a clinical psychologist and BABCP-accredited cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) therapist. She is Head of Psychology at Unmind, the trusted workplace mental health platform. Before joining Unmind, Heather worked in the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS) for nearly 10 years, focusing primarily on improving access to therapy for people with depression and anxiety disorders.

However, despite the positive shift in employer support since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns for employee mental health remain. As the report from The Hartford points out, the strain on mental health continues to significantly affect employee productivity and well-being, with 61% of workers in their survey saying that feelings of depression or anxiety impair their focus and concentration at work.

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How to nurture a culture of mental health for the long run

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