Significant disparities exist between U.S. employers’ and employees’ perceptions of workplace mental-health support, according to a new survey by Lighthouse Research & Advisory.
When employers and employees were asked to rank their organization’s support for mental health on a scale of one to 10, the average employer ranking was 7.6, while the average employee ranking was 4.4. While 58 per cent of employer respondents said they made significant positive changes to their mental-health and well-being support over the past 18 months, only 46 per cent of employee respondents recognized those changes and 25 per cent said their employer hasn’t made any positive changes in the last 18 months.
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While 64 per cent of employees cited flexible work schedules as the best method to improve employee health and well-being, only 46 per cent of employers agreed. In addition, 71 per cent of employees said the ability to access mental-health support at a place and time that’s convenient to them would make mental-health benefits more appealing.
Among the 15 per cent of employers that said they haven’t yet adopted any mental-health benefits for their workforce, their top reason was that mental health isn’t an organizational priority.
Three-quarters (75 per cent) of employer respondents said they think employees would be comfortable discussing their mental health and well-being in front of a colleague or boss, while just 60 per cent of employees agreed with that statement. And 49 per cent of all employee respondents said mental-health support would make them less likely to leave a job and 48 per cent would be more likely to recommend a job with their employer to a friend.
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