Major companies are protecting workers’ mental health

Several large corporations, like Google, Delta Airlines, JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Bell, Microsoft, and Unilever, now provide their staff with mental health care. Some organizations offer free psychological evaluations, while others give employees paid time off in addition to their regular vacation days.

Even further, American businesses like AT&T have therapists on their premises. In Dallas, Texas, the American telecommunications giant’s global headquarters location, a health and wellness center inaugurated in 2020.

Nearly 1,000 members of the staff of the organization attend the clinic each month. The resident psychologist has seen 17,000 clients in three years, a number that is steadily rising.

According to several assessments, the working population’s morale is at an all-time low worldwide. This tendency  particularly pronounced in the United States. According to a recent survey, one in three working people claim that their jobs harm their mental health.

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Given that two-thirds of US workers believe their employers should help them better manage their stress and anxiety, research conducted last year shouldn’t surprise employers. Human resources managers are stepping up their initiatives to support employee wellbeing.

Even with a specialist, discussing mental health professionally is not always easy. The feedback we received indicated that having a therapist on-site makes people uncomfortable.

Employees are reluctant to discuss their psychological issues at work, to put it simply. Many people fear that their managers and coworkers will look down on them if they bring up the subject directly.

In the UK, 28% of workers think that if their employer knew about their mental health issues. It may hinder their ability to advance in their careers.

And therein lies the problem: although businesses suffer greatly, mental health is frequently taboo in the workplace. Behind basic illnesses like colds, the flu, and even COVID-19, disorders like stress, burnout, depression, and anxiety are the third most commonly claimed cause of sick leave in France.

However, some companies are hesitant to take action to protect their staff’s mental health. While some believe it is not their legal obligation, others are concerned about the expense of dealing with the problem.

In fact, according to research by the University of Chicago and the US National Safety Council, businesses spend an average of US$15,000 (RM72,000) annually on each employee with mental health concerns.

However, according to the same survey, businesses that support employees’ mental health get a return on investment of $4 for every $1 invested.