One in four adults experiences a diagnosable mental health disorder each year, Johns Hopkins research finds. Many companies are reconfiguring their benefits packages to offer more mental health options. That includes expanding provider networks, providing free counseling sessions, and adding Employee Assistance Plans.
Telehealth options, onsite clinics, and remote providers are now expected. Companies are helping employees improve their mental health by supporting work-life balance through flexible schedules, increased vacation time, remote work, pet insurance, and allowing workers to provide care to their children or elderly family members.
“The No. 1 benefit is flexibility for employees,” says Marianne Fazen, president and CEO of the DFW Business Group on Health, which helps employers find health benefit solutions. “They’ve been quitting in droves or searching for new positions when they’re being asked to come back to work, and senior management wants them back in the office for a number of reasons. Recognizing the interest in flexible work arrangements is absolutely critical.”
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