Mental health directly affects how employees show up at work—impacting productivity, engagement, retention, and overall organizational health. Yet many employers struggle to move beyond surface‑level initiatives toward a cohesive, effective strategy. This article breaks down a practical framework employers can use to strengthen mental health support and align resources in a way that drives meaningful outcomes.
The Prevalence of Mental Health
In 2024, 61.5 million people in the United States had a diagnosable mental health condition (about 1 in 5 adults), according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). While this illustrates how widespread mental health conditions are, it’s equally important to recognize that individuals without a formal diagnosis can still experience mental health challenges that can escalate over time if underlying issues or risk factors go unaddressed.
Given how common mental health conditions are nationwide, understanding how these challenges show up in the workplace is especially critical.
Mental Health in the Workplace
In the workplace specifically, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reports key data points that highlight why employers should prioritize mental health and take action to support it:
“76% of U.S. workers reported at least one symptom of a mental health condition.”
“84% of respondents said their workplace conditions had contributed to at least one mental health challenge.”
“81% of workers reported that they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health in the future.”
With mental health concerns continuing to rise, employers must proactively evaluate how they support employees’ emotional and psychological wellbeing. Mental health support is essential not only for quality of life, but also because it directly influences organizational outcomes such as productivity, performance, retention, and employee morale
Mental health plays a significant role in the management and outcomes of chronic physical conditions. Research consistently shows that mental and physical health conditions are deeply interconnected and often co-exist:
| A CDC-published study found that as individuals accumulate more chronic diseases, their likelihood of experiencing significant psychological distress and their need for mental health support both increase. | A nationwide primary‑care study of 2.2 million people further demonstrated universal, two‑way links between mental disorders and chronic physical conditions. | Findings published in Research on Chronic Diseases explain that biological factors such as chronic inflammation, along with psychosocial challenges like pain, disability, and social isolation contribute to the link between chronic illness and mental health. |
One distinct connection between mental and physical health is that regular physical activity has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to improve and manage mental health. According to a review article published in the National Library of Medicine, physical activity is consistently associated with improved mood, reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, better stress regulation, enhanced cognitive function, and improved quality of life. The findings emphasize that physical activity supports mental health through both biological mechanisms, such as reduced inflammation and improved stress‑hormone regulation, and psychosocial benefits, reinforcing the fact that physical activity is a foundational strategy for mental health.
Taken together, this evidence shows that even as employers invest in disease‑management programs for chronic conditions and design workplaces that encourage movement and physical fitness, mental health must be intentionally integrated to fully support employee wellbeing.
Focusing on one without the other can create gaps, while an integrated approach supports healthier employees and stronger organizations.
Employers can build an effective mental health strategy by focusing on three interconnected areas: establishing a supportive mental health culture, understanding employee needs and care pathways, and aligning resources and interventions to meet those needs. Together, these steps ensure mental health efforts are intentional, relevant, and effective.
Employer Strategies to Address & Support Mental Health
- Reduce Mental Health Stigma: According to the CDC, “Stigma refers to negative attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes people may hold towards those who experience mental health conditions.” When mental health resources are available, but stigma remains high, employees are far less likely to use those services, seek information, or feel comfortable discussing their concerns. Reducing stigma is one of the most essential steps employers can take. As acceptance of mental health awareness grows, employees become more likely to take mental health concerns seriously, reach out for support, and use the resources available to them—supporting reduced presenteeism by encouraging early acknowledgment and intervention.
- Evaluate Workplace Policies: Consider what policies and procedures your organization currently has in place to support mental health. For example, does your workplace offer reasonable accommodations such as flexible scheduling, mental health days, time off for appointments, or supportive check-ins? Do managers know how to adjust workloads when an employee is experiencing a mental health concern? These are a few areas the World Health Organization recommends reviewing to ensure individuals with mental health conditions or challenges can thrive and feel supported at work.
- Leadership Awareness & Training: Equip leaders with the skills to recognize signs of mental health concerns, respond appropriately during a crisis, and confidently support psychological wellbeing in the workplace. Because workplace culture is heavily influenced by leadership behavior, visible commitment from leadership can significantly impact how mental health is perceived and prioritized. Two evidence‑based trainings that help build this competency are offered by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and A World Without Suicide (AWWS).
- Review Claims & Conditions: When data is available, review claims to identify which mental health conditions (such as anxiety, depression, or substance use) are most prevalent and whether these claims appear more often in inpatient versus outpatient settings. This level of insight helps you understand the prevalence, severity, and access‑to‑care challenges your employees may be facing and guides you towards selecting the most effective mental health solutions and interventions for your population.
- Where to Seek Care Based on Severity Levels: Offer employees clear guidance on where and how to seek mental‑health support. One helpful way to do this is by explaining that mental health concerns are commonly grouped into three general severity levels—mild, moderate, and severe—as outlined in education published in World Psychiatry.
Mild concerns can often be addressed through education, self‑help tools, your EAP, or short‑term outpatient support.
Moderate concerns typically benefit from ongoing therapy, outpatient behavioral health clinics, or psychiatric assessment.
Severe concerns require immediate or emergency intervention, such as contacting 988, local crisis services, or emergency response teams when safety is at risk.
This framework helps employees understand which types of resources are most appropriate for the level of concern they’re experiencing.
- Provide Educational Resources: At a minimum, offer employees clear, accessible educational materials that define mental health, help recognize signs and symptoms of common conditions, explain how to support someone who may be struggling, and provide strategies for managing personal mental wellbeing. Reputable organizations that offer free mental health education and resources include:
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
- Mental Health America (MHA)
- 988 Lifeline
- Address the EAP: Take time to evaluate what services your EAP currently offers and how those services align (or do not align) with your organization’s mental health needs. Many EAPs focus on support for everyday life challenges, such as emotional support for situational stress, financial guidance, care navigation, family‑related conflict, or help navigating life transitions (for example., coping with grief, moving, or adjusting to a new role at work). Beyond these standard services, it’s important to understand whether your EAP can provide more comprehensive support, such as onsite employee education, extended or specialized therapy, expanded digital tools, or crisis‑support services. Understanding the full scope of what your EAP can deliver helps ensure you’re maximizing its value. While EAPs can help support mild or situational concerns, they may not be designed to meet the needs of employees experiencing more complex or ongoing mental health challenges, making additional or complementary strategies an important consideration.
- Consider External Vendor Partners: If existing mental health resources or benefits do not fully meet the needs of your workforce or do not provide services across the full spectrum of care, employers may consider external vendor partners that offer advanced counseling and therapy services. These solutions may include access to licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors with specialized training to support and treat more complex mental health conditions and, when appropriate, provide diagnosis and ongoing care.
- Crisis Support: Just as organizations develop emergency response plans for severe weather, natural disasters, and other critical incidents, they can also establish structured crisis‑support measures for high-risk mental health-related situations. Workplace crisis support is a proactive, multi‑layered approach designed to help employees before, during, and after a mental health crisis—and to help prevent moderate concerns from escalating into emergencies. Employers can begin by identifying the types of situations they want to be prepared for, such as traumatic events, the loss of an employee, employees experiencing acute emotional distress, or mental health emergencies that require immediate response. Effective crisis support typically includes clear response protocols, access to timely intervention resources, and training that equips leaders and employees to recognize warning signs and respond appropriately. M3 partners with organizations to align crisis‑support solutions with their overall emergency preparedness and wellbeing strategies by connecting them to resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for immediate intervention, A World Without Suicide (AWWS) for proactive suicide risk reduction, local crisis centers for community‑based support, and onsite training opportunities that prepare teams to respond effectively.
Key Takeaway
Addressing mental health in the workplace is essential to building a healthy and productive organization. The most effective approach begins with making mental health a clear priority and ensuring the resources you offer are easy to understand and navigate. When employees know where to start and feel supported, they are far more likely to use the tools available to them
M3’s population health team can help strengthen each part of your strategy by providing education, offering communication support, coordinating leadership trainings, analyzing claims insights, and assisting with vendor evaluation to ensure your efforts align with your organization’s needs.
