2023 Mental Health Trends

2.5 minute read

More employees are experiencing mental health challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and evolving job duties. According to a 2022 Lyra survey, 84% of employees had at least one mental health challenge over the past year. Many are feeling anxious, burnt out, stressed, and depressed. Employers are expected to take more responsibility for workers’ mental health and help employees on a personal level. Employers can consider the following trends that may influence workers’ mental health in 2023.

Mental Health Education

Greater mental health literacy is needed to help employees understand what they may be feeling and what to do about it. Some examples of mental health education include:

• Providing employee communications that address and help explain mental health issues
• Offering seminars or education sessions that explain mental health issues and what to do about them
• Training managers to spot employees who may be struggling with mental health issues

Telehealth

Throughout the pandemic, telehealth services greatly increased. Virtual health services are expected to continue to grow. Providing on-demand health services can benefit employees who may not have the time to seek help.

Mental Health Programs

Employers are expected to take more responsibility for workers’ mental health and well-being by expanding their employee assistance programs and offering mental health education and support. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2022 Employer Health Benefits Survey, 48% of large employers saw an increase in workers using mental health services and 29% more employees requested family and medical leave due to increasing mental health issues.

Scheduling Flexibility

During the pandemic, many employees were sent home to work remotely. And now many employees want to retain that perk at least some of the time. Flexible scheduling options are important to employees, allowing them to better manage their personal responsibilities, and creating a better work-life balance.

Individual Focus

Mental health needs to be nurtured like physical health. And that’s why employers are taking steps to address issues before they worsen.

To curb employee burnout, employers are trying to check-in with employees more frequently about how they are feeling. Managers are encouraged to touch base more regularly. Having candid conversations can help address mental health issues before they get worse.

Summary

Employers should be prepared to help workers with their mental health this year. Not addressing mental health can lead to other issues including burnout and depression. Download the bulletin for more details.

This blog is intended to be a compilation of information and resources pulled from federal, state, and local agencies. This is not intended to be legal advice. For up to the minute information and guidance on COVID-19, please follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and your local health organizations.