Mental health support is a hot work perk

When a meeting gets scheduled for 4:30pm on a Friday, it may not feel like your employer has your mental health in mind.

But mental health support has increasingly become a standard part of the employee benefits package, especially as companies look to recruit the work–life balance-prioritizing members of Gen Z and discover that taking care of their employees’ mental health can benefit the bottom line.

A survey conducted by HR consulting firm Mercer found that companies have upped their mental health game since the pandemic sent everyone into a tailspin:

• The 2023 survey found that 94% of employers with 500+ employees had boosted their mental health care coverage, heightened support, or added new programs or systems to address mental health in the preceding three years.
• Of those, 28% expanded what their existing health plans offered for mental health, 72% added virtual and telehealth options, and 68% started offering new supports such as employee assistance programs, classes, or app access. Some employers also increased relevant trainings.

Some large global employers, including JPMorgan, even provide onsite therapists as a resource for their staff, according to the Financial Times.

Not all mental health perks are that direct: Flexible work schedules and PTO policies can help employees achieve the balance required to attend to their emotional needs.