A recent study by One Medical and Workplace Intelligence found that the mental and physical health of American workers has worsened or remained the same in 2022, with 64% of respondents reporting struggling with mental or behavioral health issues. As a result, 91% of those workers feel less productive, and 45% are losing over five hours of productivity a week due to these issues.
The study notes that the healthcare system's complexity and the lack of employers' support in navigating it is a significant barriers to accessing care. Only 19% of respondents reported using their company's mental health care benefits in 2022, despite the need for support.
To address the issue, employers need to focus on improving care navigation, directing people to primary care as a first step, and investing in mental health programs.
A PwC survey found that 62% of executives had either implemented or had the plan to expand mental health benefits for employees, with a 4x return on investment. Providing high-quality healthcare benefits can increase job satisfaction and employee engagement, leading to more productive workers.