Care for the caregivers: Mental health benefits can help avoid employee burnout

Mental health care can affect anyone at any time. While the pandemic has further highlighted these issues, especially in the workplace, a less considered aspect of it has also emerged. Many employees are also struggling with caring for loved ones with a mental health challenge.

A New York Life Group Benefit Solutions study shows that nearly half of surveyed workers (48%) have helped a loved one live with a mental health challenge in the last year, and 45% of this group say their loved one is experiencing mental health challenges more often this year than in the previous year.

As a result, 8-in-10 surveyed workers said helping loved ones has impacted their own mental health and two-thirds (65%) report needing more assistance addressing their own mental health, according to the research.

How is this affecting employers’ response?

The research revealed that just over half (54%) of surveyed caregivers were familiar with their employer’s mental health resources and more than a quarter (29%) felt that no one at their company was equipped to help them find the mental health resources they needed. Also, three-in-four caregivers wish their employer would offer more benefits focused on mental health.

“We found that mental health benefits play a key role in employee satisfaction, with most caregivers saying they are important to having a positive working experience (92%) and feeling supported (92%),” says Meghan Shea, Vice-President and Head of Strategy and Solutions with New York Life Group Benefit Solutions.

Related: 67% of employees want their employer to provide mental health support

“These results highlight an opportunity for companies to better support their employees’ mental health needs, with more frequent education around available benefits as the first step,” she adds. “Beyond communicating about available benefits regularly, team leads and managers should be equipped to reinforce and increase awareness of available support to employees in team settings as well as individually. Taking these actions can help companies foster a culture that supports mental well-being and enable employees to better manage their caregiving responsibilities while remaining productive at work.”

But not everything needs to start from scratch. This is backed by the data, which states that 73% of caregivers surveyed wish their employer would offer more mental health benefits. Employers can assess and shape current benefits to the needs of their employees. “Employers should take inventory of what is available and ensure they offer a range of mental health benefits and resources, such as access to counseling sessions, support groups, and employee assistance programs,” explains Shea. “Financial wellness resources can also be helpful, as financial stressors can have a negative impact on mental well-being. Additionally, flexible work arrangements and paid time off specific to caregiving needs can help employees find an effective work/life balance while managing caregiving responsibilities.”

Overall, notes Shea, employers and HR should look at their demographics, as a first step to understand the types of benefits employees might need. “From there, HR and Benefits teams can determine a benefit package that would meet existing needs while also being supportive of future needs including talent acquisition and retention.”