How Employers Can Support Employee Well-Being and Mental Health

Employees who feel trusted and cared for by their employers are 3.8 times more likely to report overall well-being, 2.4 times more likely to be engaged and 1.9 times more likely to be productive, according to MetLife’s 23rd Annual “Employee Benefit Trends Study.”

However, the study revealed that while most employers believe they are demonstrating trust and care, many employees feel the opposite.

This decline in holistic health, or well-being, among workers is a combination of increasing workplace stress and mental health struggles.

For example, another new report from Modern Health revealed that 75% of employees report experiencing low mood, influenced by global events and political climates.

In addition, 62% feel pressured to work through burnout, and 61% believe their employer values productivity over personal well-being.

This highlights the growing challenges employees face in maintaining mental health while managing work pressures.

Regardless of efforts to improve employee well-being, 54% of Gen Z employees report that their mental health has never fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, and 58% say life was easier during the pandemic than it is now.

Sixteen percent of employees also feel their workplace’s mental health support is better now than five years ago.

“Despite hopes that the worst of the pandemic’s toll on workplace mental health is behind us, these latest findings reveal that its fallout is very much ongoing,” said Neha Chaudhary, M.D., CMO of Modern Health, in a release.

“With such a majority reporting their mental health has never fully recovered, these insights offer a powerful call to action: employers who want to drive long-term success in today’s competitive market should prioritize an authentic and supportive culture in order to enhance workforce resilience, boost productivity, and retain employees.”

Trust remains a sensitive subject amongst employees as the shortage of mental health resources makes it even harder for them to build that trust with employers.

While 88% of employees want a workplace culture that supports mental health, only 41% feel their employer truly values their well-being. A portion (58%) believe that their employer’s discussions on mental health are performative and nearly half of respondents say they would feel more comfortable discussing their mental health with an AI chatbot than with their HR department.

One major factor in workplace culture is leadership’s role in setting expectations, according to the Modern Health release.

“Employees take their cues from leadership,” Chaudhary added. “If leaders and managers don’t visibly prioritize their own mental health, employees won’t believe it’s truly acceptable to do so. The most powerful culture shift happens not through organization-wide policy, but through example.”

The study also shared how employers perceive trust and care in the workplace compared to how employees feel.

While 85% of employers believe they demonstrate high levels of trust, only 69% of employees feel trusted.

In relation, 82% of employers think their employees trust leadership, but only 60% of employees agree.

The gap widens when it comes to employee care, where 87% of employers believe they show care for their employees, yet only 52% of employees feel cared for.

A key strategy for closing this trust gap is through thoughtful benefits programs that align with employee needs.

MetLife’s study shared that employees who have positive experiences with their benefits are more likely to feel valued and engaged.

In fact, 89% of employees believe their organization could enhance trust by improving benefits packages.

Certain benefits have been directly linked to key outcomes such as increased productivity and employee loyalty.

Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), accident insurance and emergency fund support, for example, can boost productivity, while paid leave and employee assistance programs foster employee loyalty.

Offering benefits such as hospital indemnity insurance, home insurance or eldercare support also increases employees’ sense of value.

To close the trust gap, the MetLife study suggests that companies move beyond traditional benefits and engage with their workforce meaningfully.

The study recommends a number of key strategies to enhance employee trust. For example:

• Expanding the range of benefits offered ensures employees feel their unique needs are met.
• Strengthening benefit coverage and regularly updating benefits programs will demonstrate that employee well-being is a priority.
• Improving communication and educating employees about the benefits available to them ensures they understand and fully