Unlocking mental health support for SMBs through advanced benefits solutions

Businesses are actively engaging in a modern movement to destigmatize and address mental health issues, recognizing the need for more support in the workplace. Despite these efforts, employees still face challenges. Long hours, lack of control over job responsibilities, and workplace anxiety are contributing to both the labor shortage and the broader national mental health crisis. The lasting impact of the pandemic worsened these issues, with the line between work and home life still blurred for many. Financial worries, cultural shifts, and rising stress levels all point to the need for mental health to be a central focus of workplace policies.

Recent research from the American Psychological Association underscores this trend, with 92% of employees stating that it’s important to work for an organization that provides mental health support. Even with this demand, 57% of employees report experiencing negative impacts due to work-related mental strain.

Consider this: The World Health Organization estimates anxiety and depression alone cost the global economy $1 trillion annually due to lost productivity. Additionally, unplanned absences driven by poor mental health cost a staggering $47.6 billion each year. These numbers highlight the importance of encouraging employees to seek help and for employers to actively promote these benefits and resources.

The hurdles small to mid-sized businesses face

While mental health is a top concern for employers, many employees simply aren’t aware of the resources available to them or choose not to engage – low utilization of mental health benefits is an issue. Compounding things, many small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) lack the communication tools and technological resources to ensure easy employee access and utilization. Costs associated with complex benefits administration platforms can also be a hurdle.

However, SMBs can circumvent these obstacles. By being associated with multiple employer arrangements, such as association health plans, health trusts, and employer welfare arrangements, SMBs can access modern, streamlined benefits platforms. These types of arrangements give SMBs both buying power and access to benefits typically offered by large enterprises. This significantly broadens the scope and quality of mental health support available to SMB employees.

With more mental health offerings increasingly available, employee awareness and access is more important than ever. While a disjointed benefits enrollment process can leave employees in the dark, a streamlined administration platform will highlight the valuable mental health benefits a company already provides. This shift empowers employees to take advantage of the tools they need to thrive. A streamlined system fosters a culture of awareness and encourages employees to seek help when they need it most. This benefits everyone, as it’s no mystery that happier and healthier employees lead to a more productive and successful organization.

From the employer perspective, many technology providers in the benefits administration space specialize in cost-prohibitive software and services designed for larger enterprises. This often leaves SMBs dealing with outdated legacy systems, disparate SaaS platforms, or manual administration. All are time-consuming, prone to errors, and make it difficult for employees to access resources and mental health support they may need. However, there’s a wave of innovation on the horizon. Advanced mental health solutions are emerging, offering exciting possibilities for SMBs to bridge the gap and provide adequate support, creating a happier and healthier workforce.

Streamlining benefits administration

Modern benefits administration solutions tailored specifically for SMBs can address these challenges effectively. By streamlining processes such as enrollment and billing, these solutions reduce administrative burdens and costs, making it feasible for smaller businesses to offer comprehensive mental health support. Here’s how these solutions can make a difference:

1. Simplified enrollment: An intuitive and automated enrollment process ensures that employees can easily sign up for mental health benefits without the hassle of paperwork. This reduces the administrative workload and minimizes the risk of errors.
2. Efficient billing: Streamlined and consolidated billing processes mean SMBs can effectively manage their benefits costs. Automated billing systems reduce the time spent on manual invoice management and improve accuracy, which can lead to cost savings.
3. Enhanced access to resources: Advanced solutions often include features that provide employees with easy access to mental health resources, such as counseling services, wellness programs, and online support tools. This ensures that employees can get the help they need when they need it.

The impact of mental health support

Investing in benefits administration solutions to help make mental health support for employees more accessible and increasing the utilization of such benefits offers employers a significant return on investment. For every $1 spent on treating these mental health issues, there is a $4 return in improved health and productivity, emphasizing the significant impact of mental health support in the workplace.

Related: Mental health in the workplace: Shifting from stigma to solutions is key for employers

Embracing modern solutions

To stay competitive and meet the needs of their workforce, SMBs must embrace modern benefits administration solutions. These solutions are designed to be scalable, cost-effective, and user-friendly. Features like in-platform messaging, on-demand reporting, and document management tools allow HR to avoid tedious paper-based tasks and focus more on employee engagement – including utilization of mental health benefits.

Robust CRM functionality customized to the unique needs of each business allows HR professionals to rest easy knowing their employees are guided through the entire benefits enrollment process with an effortless experience that is compatible with any device. These solutions streamline the entire process, from benefits acquisition to ongoing administration. Each product in the suite is fully integrated, ensuring a consistent user experience across all carriers, plans, and devices.

The best part? These platforms scale to customers of any size, deploy quickly, and increase convenience and efficiency. Having an omnichannel approach provides an integrated customer experience. A powerful platform can also provide comprehensive support in several other areas in addition to a full range of trust fund administration services.

Supporting mental health at work

Mental health challenges continue to be a pervasive issue, and when it begins to impact individuals in the workplace, employers have a critical role to play. They can help address these issues by ensuring mental health resources are easily accessible to employees. A streamlined benefits enrollment process is key—by simplifying how employees access these resources, organizations empower their workforce to seek the help they need without unnecessary barriers.

For SMBs, implementing modern benefits administration processes allows them to offer the same level of accessible support as larger enterprises. The end result is a healthier, more productive workplace with higher job satisfaction and retention. Ultimately, creating a culture and environment where mental health resources are readily accessible reflects a company’s commitment to its employees’ wellbeing, contributing to a more resilient and successful organization.

Marc Palmer is the Chief Commercial Officer at Vimly.