Help Clients Support Mental Health Needs of Younger Workers

As the numbers show progress in the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to focus attention on another important stat: the high percentage of younger workers reporting behavioral health issues.*

Our research shows that 59% of Millennials and 71% of Gen Z workers reported mental health issues. Compare this to 22% of Boomers and 36% of Gen Xers. These numbers are similar to pre-pandemic statistics.

Your clients are aware that mental health and substance abuse issues can greatly affect productivity at work. Behavioral health conditions can also add stress to the lives of young workers already coping with high debt, low job security and housing worries.

How can you help them support the well-being of all their employees? And what can they do to reach younger workers, who seem to be the least knowledgeable about resources and benefits that can help?

The best solution is for your clients to offer benefit options that include help for mental health and substance abuse issues. It would be helpful for them to promote these benefits regularly — not just during open enrollment. Encourage clients to emphasize their organizations’ support for behavioral health and in ways that reach their younger workers.

Proactive Way to Manage Disability

The Standard’s Workplace Possibilities^SM program follows this approach to treat the whole person. We proactively address behavioral health and disability management and offer customized solutions. The goal is always to help employees stay at work or return to work sooner.

Here’s the process that sets our program apart:

1. We proactively identify employees at higher risk for disability, before it keeps them from working.
2. We interact with employees to understand their issues at work and at home.
3. We integrate resources for treatment, including benefits and programs from other providers.
4. We tailor a holistic plan for recovery that treats the individual by:
    
   • Finding and adapting the right accommodations, including ergonomic devices
   • Consulting on accommodations for behavioral health conditions

Head to our Behavioral Health Resource Center to learn more about our research and our solutions.