Mental wellness in the 2024 workplace

In recent years, mental health and wellness in the workplace have become increasingly important as employees focus more on work-life balance. Businesses have taken note and remain focused on removing the stigma from discussions surrounding mental wellness so that employees feel empowered to speak up and prioritize their mental health.

According to Mind Share Partners’ study conducted from 2019 to 2021, “Workers grew more comfortable talking about mental health and developed healthier beliefs about it and those with mental health conditions.” While the results indicated a reduction in mental health stigma in those two years, the progress to date tells a different story. Mind Share Partners’ 2023 study actually showed workers’ comfort talking about mental health at work declined from 37% to 19%.

As 2023 draws to a close, it’s important to remember that, just because there has been an increased openness in discussing mental health issues, organizations cannot consider mental wellness as “mission accomplished” as data shows the work is not done. This is why I expect that, in 2024, we will see the next phase in normalizing mental wellness in the workplace. Here are my predictions for what that will look like in the workplace in 2024.

Expect a more recovery-friendly workplace (RFW).

According to a 2021 survey from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 1 in 5 of all full-time employed adults in the U.S. reported having a substance use disorder. Given that, the chances are quite high we may not even realize who these individuals are. This is why it is so important to be proactive in creating a recovery-friendly workplace. With the increasing encouragement to seek treatment, organizations should be prepared to provide support for workers who are struggling and facilitate opportunities for people in recovery to enter, or re-enter, the workplace. RFWs see recovery from SUD as a strength to be celebrated, not a weakness to be hidden. In addition, RFWs play an important role in preventing and addressing SUD, including the opioid overdose crisis, by reducing the chance of injury and the subsequent use of opioids.

The Biden Administration recently released a recovery-ready workplace toolkit that provides resources to assist employers in preventing and responding more effectively to employer substance misuse, including guidance for assessment, planning, implementation and monitoring of recovery-ready workplaces.

Higher expectations for workplace culture.

The 2021 Job Seeker Nation Report indicates that 86% of job seekers say culture is a “somewhat or very important” factor, with 48% rating it as “very important”(up from 37% in 2019), in their job search. Increasingly, employees want to work for organizations that have cultures that are aligned with their values – both personal and professional. That’s why it’s going to be critical that companies focus on creating psychologically safe workplaces. According to Harvard Business Review, psychological safety is “a shared belief held by members of a team that it’s OK to take risks, to express their ideas and concerns, to speak up with questions and to admit mistakes — all without fear of negative consequences.”

A psychologically safe work culture will meet the expectations of all employees, not just those struggling with SUD. In building a psychologically safe workplace, recovery principles can help everyone in the workplace by creating a safe and healthy culture.

This includes taking a big-picture view of employee wellness — physical, mental and financial — and recognizing that a wellness balance is critical to the overall success of the individual. A psychologically safe culture makes sure workloads and expectations are reasonable, commits to using inclusive, non-stigmatizing language, affords mental health days and takes into account the basic humanity of the worker. It transitions from team activities that are centered around drinking to more inclusive, healthier ones, and recognizes recovery as a process of continuous growth.

Anticipate a growing expectation that mental wellness and behavioral health support be included in basic health benefits offered by employers.

Employers are recognizing that focusing on mental wellbeing in the workplace not only enhances employee health but increases productivity and contributes to the wellbeing of the community at large. Mental health conditions cost employers more than $100 billion and 217 million lost workdays annually, according to the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI).

While mental health services are increasingly included in workplace insurance packages, the extent of mental health coverage can vary significantly from one organization to another. Some employers may provide comprehensive mental health benefits, including therapy sessions, counseling and psychiatric consultations, as part of their health insurance plans. Others may offer more limited coverage or may not include mental health services in their insurance packages at all.

Access to 24/7 mental health hotlines, apps for meditation and mindfulness (such as Calm or Iona Mind) and programs focused on building resilience and creating coping strategies will become standard practices in a wellness-focused workplace. In 2021, QED Investors made Shatterproof’s Just Five program available to all of its 100+ portfolio companies. The program delivers – in just five minutes per lesson – the most important concepts and facts regarding the science of addiction. After QED launched the program, 71% of participants said it would be easier to discuss the problem of addiction with others because of the program, while 51% agreed that their company’s culture has become more open to conversations surrounding mental health during the program. One employee shared, “I wish I had something like this a long time ago. It would have made me feel less alone.”

Leadership will be challenged to offer practical, hands-on training to managers and supervisors.

According to a 2023 study by the American Psychological Association, only about half of employees reported that their employers provide adequate training to managers to address mental health issues in the workplace. Another survey by Mind Share Partners revealed that 60% of managers feel they’re well-informed about mental health issues. However, only 35% of employees believe their managers are equipped to support mental health challenges effectively.

Companies will be expected to take steps to improve manager and supervisor training, with particular attention paid to how best to communicate about mental illness, create a safe environment for discussing the topic and assist employees who seek help for issues.

To get started, look to organizations like Mental Health First Aid, which offers training programs to teach individuals how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) also offers various programs designed to educate and support workplaces in handling mental health challenges, like “NAMI Basics” and “ NAMI Homefront“.

Look for an expansion of the ESG metric to measure mental wellness in the workplace.

While there isn’t a standardized Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metric specifically for mental wellness in the workplace, there’s a growing recognition of the importance of mental health within the broader ESG investment framework. Integrating a mental health program into the social aspect of ESG reporting allows organizations to improve their response to their teams’ needs. Measurements can include quarterly employee satisfaction surveys, with questions related to mental health, the type of support needed in the workplace, and the impact of culture on employees’ mental health, turnover, engagement through recognition programs and tracking absenteeism and presenteeism (employees at work but not fully productive).

Related: DEI initiatives are essential, not just the right thing to do

Combining various indicators related to mental wellness can provide a comprehensive view of how a company addresses and supports mental health in the workplace. Over time, I expect industry standards or frameworks might emerge to create more specific ESG metrics for mental wellness.

So what’s next?

As efforts to normalize mental wellness in the workplace continue to grow, organizations should prioritize putting a mental wellness plan in place along with metrics to track its success in 2024, if they do not have one already. While the specifics may vary depending on the organization’s size, industry and workforce needs, a comprehensive plan often includes these elements:

• Leadership commitment: Clear endorsement and visible support from senior management, demonstrating the organization’s commitment to mental health initiatives.
• Mental health policies: Review your current policies to ensure they address mental health, destigmatize seeking help and outline procedures for handling mental health issues sensitively and confidentially.
• Training and education: Provide training programs for both employees and managers to raise awareness, reduce stigma, recognize signs of mental health issues and offer guidance on providing support.
• Access to resources: Ensure access to mental health resources, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), counseling services, hotlines and online mental health platforms.
• Evaluation and feedback: Establish mechanisms to gather feedback from employees and periodically evaluate the effectiveness of mental health programs to make necessary adjustments.
• Crisis response protocol: Have clear protocols in place to handle mental health crises or emergencies, including access to immediate support services or contacts.

A workplace mental wellness plan is dynamic and should evolve based on feedback, changing needs and best practices. It’s essential to involve employees in the planning process and continuously communicate the organization’s commitment to mental health. Tailoring initiatives to the specific needs and culture of the organization is crucial for a successful mental wellness plan.

Maryalice Viljoen, Vice President of Administration & Talent at QED Investors