By: Terri Storey, CEO, iHealthOX
The past two years have wreaked havoc on mental health in the workplace bringing unprecedented attention to a pre-existing healthcare crisis that was exacerbated by COVID. When you pull back the layers, it is glaring how mental health stigma and the lack of inclusion and belonging in the workplace are negatively impacting employees’ mental well-being.
Through this crisis, employers have also realized that the cost of doing nothing or providing ineffective benefits results put the organization at high risk of:
- Employee burnout
- Attrition and absenteeism
- LTD benefits increase
- Crisis labour shortage
- Low employee engagement
If you’re an HR leader who would like to invest in mental health support for your employees, you might be wondering which solution is right for you. As the CEO and founder of a mental health benefits solution, here are the eight most valuable questions I encourage all leaders to ask to help ensure they’re choosing mental health benefits that will be inclusive of all their employees’ needs and drive higher employee engagement.
1. Can the solution effectively support your entire workforce?
Effective mental health care must be comprehensive and that means making a range of options available to help tailor treatment and support that is inclusive of all individuals and their families (including teens and children) .
Key consideration: Your entire employee population’s mental health needs will fall along a bell curve: Some employees might need clinical support, some might need short-term subclinical care (such as coaching or group sessions) and some might prefer self-guided support (such as digital courses and meditations). Your workforce is also diverse and this factors into ensuring you provide mental healthcare that is inclusive. You’ll need to decide if you prefer multiple vendors or one integrated solution that can support your entire workforce as they move along the bell curve over time.
2. Does the solution help deepen your organization’s commitment to inclusion and belonging?
Seeking mental health care can be especially hard for underserved communities, which often face disparities when it comes to stigma and access. Ask how the solution takes into account the needs of diverse populations, across race and ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation and other characteristics.
Key consideration: Partner with a benefits vendor that offers a provider network reflective of your workforce diversity. We recommend that HR leaders focus more deeply on mental health support that addresses the needs of BIPOC employees, as well as other underrepresented employee groups, including LGBTQ+ employees, parents, and other caregivers.
3. Is the solution global?
Most solutions will say that they’re global, but it is important to understand the mechanics of the delivery model and its implications. Some companies contract an employee assistance program for international support, whereas others will vet a network of high-quality international providers themselves. Depending on the solution you choose, you could see problems like a frustrating user experience, low provider quality and long wait times for an appointment.
Key consideration: Ensure your solution not only reaches your global workforce but offers the six dimensions of quality care:
- Evidence-based treatments
- Curated, data-driven network
- Clinically-validated and standardized measures
- Tech-enable member experience
- In-person and virtual care options
- Family specialty programs
4. Is the approach backed by research?
More and more mental health support is moving away from a traditional model and being offered through emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence-based chat, text therapy and digital meditation apps.
Key consideration: Determine what your prospective care plan includes and validate whether it’s backed by an ample body of peer-reviewed research. For example, cognitive-behavioural therapy is based on decades of peer-reviewed research, whereas some more novel therapy methods might not have yet been proven and backed by the academic research community.
5. Will the benefits provider be an active partner as the needs of your employees change?
This question won’t be answered through a sparkly product demo – so ask around. Leverage your network of HR executives to find out how they arrived at their decision and how it’s being received internally.
Key consideration: Ask other HR leaders for feedback about the solution they have in place and specifically whether their benefits partner has been agile and responsive to their changing needs and diverse workforce.
6. Does the solution include navigation to care and personalized guidance?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to mental health and each employee has unique experiences, cultural backgrounds, challenges and preferences that shape their goals and needs. Accessing the right level of care can be a challenge, which is why personalized care and navigation is a vital component to matching each individual with the support that’s right for them.
Key consideration: For the most effective investment, determine if a benefits provider brings employees through one point of entry, offers a clinically-validated assessment to determine their care plan, and provides navigation to the right level of care and support that is inclusive of your entire team.
7. Is the solution within your budget?
When it comes to pricing, you want a solution that will produce meaningful mental health improvements for your team while being sustainable. Solutions that have a pass-through pricing model without upper limits or lack incentives for improving health outcomes can drive the price up. On the other hand, if you see a solution offered at an extremely low cost, determine if they are over-selling their true offering.
Key consideration: Connect with other HR leaders who’ve had experience with these solutions, and focus on tools that teach mental resilience, rather than those that only connect users to care plans featuring indefinite, high-cost psychotherapy.
8. Is the benefits platform secure and does it protect privacy?
As most mental health benefits are through apps or platforms, assurance of data security and privacy are critical issues for employees and employers.
Key consideration: Evaluate if the benefits platform clearly states how it will collect, store, use and protect personal health information and is this information easy to find or hidden deep within the app. Also ensure it meets all the applicable federal and provincial/territorial legislative standards and requirements regarding personal health information.
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