In the wake of the pandemic, we have seen a worrying increase in mental health struggles among the U.S. employee population. This trend poses a variety of challenges in the workplace, including decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, heightened turnover, and declining employee wellbeing. In response, many employers are looking to enhance their benefits packages with offerings to support employees' mental health. 

There is a significant need for these solutions. Recent LIMRA research finds that 75% of workers have experienced a mental or behavioral health challenge at least "sometimes" during the past year, while 37% have struggled with these issues "often." Workers are most likely to report challenges related to anxiety, stress and depression. However, concerns such as relationship, marital or family conflicts, grief or loss, and alcohol or substance abuse are also prevalent. Alarmingly, more than 1 in 10 workers say they had thoughts of suicide sometimes or often during the past year, while only three quarters "never" thought about suicide. 

Younger workers seem to be struggling with mental health issues more than their older colleagues: 62% of Gen Z employees have experienced a mental health challenge often in the past year, compared with only 19% of baby boomers. In addition, workers who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community are twice as likely to report frequent mental health struggles compared with non-LGBTQ+ employees (67% versus 33%). Other groups that report heightened mental health challenges include Hispanic employees, lower-income workers, part-time workers, and those with lower job levels.