The world has experienced extraordinary changes over the past few years, and the workplace is no exception. Collective trauma from the pandemic, climate disruptions, political strife, workplace stress, and burnout have shined a global spotlight on the link between work and well-being.

These changes and adjustments have led more workers to view employer-provided mental health support as a right, not just a perk. As the World Health Organization noted, “Working people, like all people, deserve an inherent right to the highest attainable standard of mental health at work, regardless of their type of employment.”

To better understand more about employers and employees’ experiences and attitudes related to mental health matters in today’s work world, Accolade partner Lyra Health surveyed over 3,400 employees and 250 employee benefits leaders across seven countries. What follows are six key insights from survey data collected in 2023 and reported in 2024. [1]

1. There is a surge in serious and complex mental health conditions

While the rate of U.S. workers who cite stress and burnout as top challenges decreased from the previous year (from 51% to 40% and 30% to 20%, respectively), other conditions are now more prevalent. Employees say they are struggling with severe or chronic depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.

This aligns with a CDC report that shows suicide rates rising. [2] In fact, suicide deaths increased from 48,183 in 2021 to 49,449 in 2022, an increase of about 2.6%. [3] Reasons for this increase include financial stress, economic and job market uncertainty, sociopolitical factors, and long-term effects from the pandemic. [4]

2. Work is a top social determinant of mental health

“Work-related stress and burnout” is the second biggest factor contributing to employees’ mental health concerns. Only financial stress, reported by 33% of employees as an issue, surpasses work stress, which 28% of employees cited. In addition, 65% of U.S. workers said their mental health affected their ability to do their jobs.

Studies find that employers who promote good mental health are more likely to lower absenteeism, reduce presenteeism, and increase productivity. [5] This is particularly important when you consider that the Lyra report found that 80% of employees said mental health benefits are “somewhat” or “very important” to their job decision process. Unsurprisingly, most of the benefits and HR leaders surveyed want to address how the work environment can affect well-being.

3. 55% of U.S. workers are supporting a child with mental health challenges

In the past year, 55% of surveyed U.S. employees reported "supporting a child in [their] care under 18 who struggled with their mental health." Up from 19% the previous year, this change underscores the impact that a child’s mental health crisis can have on working parents. It also emphasizes the need for employers to examine how they support these employees.

About 33% of the people in this group said their mental health declined, which affected their ability to do their jobs. Additionally, while 85% of HR and benefits leaders thought the mental health benefits that they offer would help an employee’s child with a mental health condition, only 57% of U.S. workers felt the same way.

4. Finding effective care is still challenging even though access is improving

The number of people who received mental health care increased (from 24% in 2022 to 40% in 2023). Yet many people still struggle to find mental health support and those who receive care often switch providers. Of those who got care, nearly half switched and 12% switched three or more times. These changes delay recovery and increase healthcare costs.

People may switch mental health providers for several reasons, including style, cultural understandings, availability, and more. With so many people switching and the difficulty of finding a provider with whom they can connect, workers are asking for help. The findings in Lyra’s report show that 73% of people would like help from a trusted resource to find the right mental health provider.

5. Employers and employees see workforce mental health needs differently

While employers increasingly take a proactive mental wellness approach, many employees haven't noticed. More than half (55%) said they’re unsure if their employer’s leadership team understands their mental health needs. In addition, while 95% of HR and benefits leaders said employee mental health support is a high priority, only 46% of employees believed that to be true.

There is good news for employers, though. A significant portion of workers (64%) said that if their employer took steps to improve work conditions that negatively impacted employee mental health, it would boost job satisfaction.

6. Managers are facing the pressure of supporting team mental health

Many managers feel they lack the resources they need to create healthy working conditions. While 84% of benefits and HR leaders said their managers have the autonomy they need to make changes that support their employees, only 52% of managers felt the same way. In addition, 40% of U.S. managers weren’t confident that they could support an employee who was experiencing mental health challenges.

For more research findings, plus best practices from clinicians and organizational psychologists to address today’s top workforce mental health challenges, get the full report.

Lyra Health is part of Accolade's Trusted Partner Ecosystem, which exists to simplify benefits selection for our customers and drive a more integrated experience for our members.

Lyra helps leading companies improve access to effective, high-quality mental health care for their employees and their families. With Lyra’s innovative digital care platform and global provider network, members receive the best care and get better faster. Learn more about supporting the well-being of your employees and their families.

[1] https://www.lyrahealth.com/2024-state-of-workforce-mental-health-report/

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr034.pdf

[3] https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/s0810-US-Suicide-Deaths-2022.html

[4] https://www.bu.edu/articles/2023/why-are-us-suicide-rates-so-high/

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9663290/