1. Diverse resources for diverse needs

Too often, some employees’ needs fall through the cracks. For example, about 20% of the workforce is neurodivergent and about 14 million people suffer from severe mental health challenges. Companies have an opportunity to support these individuals and, in doing so, build inclusive workplaces that attract and retain employees with unique perspectives. 

With this in mind, expect companies to expand mental health support offerings to include flexible policies, early detection programs to spot challenges before they escalate, and partnerships with providers who offer specialized support for neurodiverse individuals.

2. Trauma-informed leadership 

The best managers think beyond driving results; they create an environment where team members feel seen, safe, and supported. This is the foundation of trauma-informed leadership—an approach that equips managers to recognize the effects of trauma, respond with empathy, create psychological safety, and promote employee resilience. 

Trauma-informed leaders understand how past experiences can impact workplace behavior and performance. By creating policies and environments that prioritize psychological safety, they can better support all team members—whether employees are navigating personal challenges, managing anxiety, or experiencing difficult life transitions. 

The shift to trauma-informed leadership is gaining traction as younger generations break down long-standing mental health stigmas and expect open conversations about wellbeing at work. As such, companies should consider investing in trauma-informed leadership training to improve manager-employee communication, strengthen cultures, and ensure employees feel comfortable bringing their full selves to work. That said, managers are not therapists. Part of effective training includes educating managers on when to, and how to, gently connect employees to mental health resources.

3. A push for early engagement

While there’s a lot of conversation around whether people are staying in therapy too long, the real challenge is keeping people in therapy long enough to see meaningful improvement. Over 85% of individuals with a mental health diagnosis have zero to two appointments in the year following that diagnosis, according to nationwide health plan data. Ensuring people find the right provider for their needs helps them stay in care longer and can improve long-term outcomes.

In 2025, expect more companies and health care partners to tackle this problem by ensuring members find the right providers for their needs and creating programs that actively engage members earlier in their care journey. This means not only making access to therapy easier but also building stronger support systems to help people stay in care long enough to see results.

4. AI as a mental health care ally

While therapists focus on building authentic human connections, AI tools provide an added layer of support that can reinforce the human-centered care system. For example, AI can act as a brilliant assistant to providers, quickly and effectively gathering insights, analyzing data, sending reminders, recognizing patterns, spotting early signs of stress or burnout, and enhancing provider-patient matching. 

That said, organizations must emphasize ethical AI use and balance technology innovation with human support. A few best practices for responsible AI use in mental health care include implementing robust confidentiality and data privacy safeguards, developing and testing unbiased algorithms, obtaining informed consent at every step, and keeping human needs at the center of all decisions.

5. Increased investment in high-acuity care

Discussions around stress and anxiety have become more common. Yet, employees facing severe conditions—like treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, eating disorders, or substance use disorders—often encounter inadequate support, long wait times, and fragmented care. These issues may be impacting a larger number of employees than companies realize. According to Spring Health member data, 22.4% of employees experience risks for serious depression, while 10.6% struggle with substance-use disorder. 

To address more serious mental health challenges, companies will seek solutions beyond traditional care models. For example, they will partner with innovative mental health solutions that proactively screen for severe conditions and quickly connect people with high-touch support. Taking an innovative, proactive approach can accelerate recovery for individuals while reducing the risk of crises, hospitalizations, and long-term disability, as well as the associated costs. 

Related: Are employers offering too many mental health benefits?

6.  Support for the “sandwich generation”

The U.S Surgeon General recently sounded the alarm about the rising stress levels of working parents. Now couple that with the responsibilities of caring for an aging parent. That is a reality for more than half (54%) of Americans in their 40s, according to Pew Research Center. These “sandwich generation employees” are quietly crumbling under the weight of their dual responsibilities. Burnout is a real risk for this group, and while flexible work schedules, caregiver resources, and mental health support can make a huge difference, these offerings need to be tailored to address these employees’ unique challenges. 

In 2025, I hope to see companies offering tailored, long-term support for these individuals. Many organizations offer parental leave, which is a great start. But once employees return to work, that support often disappears. Companies have an opportunity to stand out and provide true value by providing ongoing resources and benefits that reduce stress and support a caregiver’s mental health.

Conclusion: A greater focus on employee wellbeing leads to lasting ROI

I believe we're entering a new era of workplace mental health support that recognizes the complexity of employees' lives and the need for adaptable, compassionate approaches. By offering robust, diverse mental health resources, companies can create workplaces that cultivate employee wellbeing and create a sense of belonging. 

Meeting employees’ diverse mental health needs increases retention and engagement and reduces long-term health care costs—but these benefits take time to realize. Maximizing the ROI of workplace mental health investments requires companies to evolve beyond a short-term perspective to a long-term, strategic approach. Organizations that think long-term and embrace shifts in mental health at work should be well-positioned to attract, retain, and nurture the talent they need to move their company forward in 2025, and beyond.

Karishma Patel Buford, Psy.D., Clinical Psychology, chief people officer, Spring Health