How can leaders better support the mental health of their teams? This organisation is redefining employee wellbeing.
How would you rate your mental health today on a scale of 1 to 10? One being in crisis and 10 being incredible.
It’s likely that very few of us would rate ourselves at the top end.
More and more employers are focusing on employee mental health and its link to productivity – and for good reason. According to the Mental Health Index by TELUS Health, which surveys 16,000 workers around the world on the state of their health every month, half of us are experiencing signs of burnout.
Today’s workforce juggles so many competing priorities in the office and at home (often the same place, these days), and it’s common that stresses from one seep into the other. Beyond the toll on our personal health, employers are also feeling the effects.
Workers with poor mental health are estimated to have 12 days of unplanned absences annually, in comparison to 2.5 for all other workers – and the vast majority of employees (87 per cent) think actions from their employer would help improve their mental health.
“Feeling valued, safe and supported has a positive impact on mental health and enables people to deal more effectively with daily stressors,” says Paula Allen, Global Leader, Research & Client Insights, TELUS Health. “Your life isn’t really separated from your work. The time you spend at work is part of your life and directly impacts your total health.”
An organisation answers the call
The good news is that employers are well positioned to play a leading role in supporting employee health. The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer found that employees want employers to model healthy work-life boundaries, and expect them to support and protect their wellbeing. In fact 62 per cent of workers surveyed said that wellbeing support was a key factor when applying for a new job.
Even better news? Employers can tap into valuable resources to help them prioritise the health and wellbeing of their people.
As a recognized global health and wellbeing leader, TELUS Health is a trusted partner in the workplace health space. They work with organisations around the world to enhance the total wellbeing of employees and their families, providing services that support three foundational pillars of health: physical, financial and mental.
TELUS Health entered the health care space nearly 15 years ago to revolutionise the way people access and interact with health care services. In 2022 they acquired the leading employee assistance program (EAP) and pension and benefits provider LifeWorks in order to better serve employers with an enhanced portfolio of services designed to support total employee wellbeing.
Challenges for employers
When it comes to supporting mental health, choosing wellbeing tools that are effective can be a challenge for employers. The right solutions provide employees with custom support and ease of access.
Personalisation is key because where someone sits on the mental health continuum varies from one employee to the next – and often from one day to the next. “A continuum of care means that every person at every point has access to the right type and level of care for them,” says Allen.
While personalisation takes into account the level of need, it also extends to how care is delivered. According to the Mental Health Index, nearly half of employees prefer a mix of in-person and virtual when it comes to mental health support. Providing a range of care options can make employees more likely to utilise their benefits.
Allen also stresses the need for a single front door into a system of care, emphasising the challenges employers and employees face managing a multitude of services.
“Both employees and employers have made it clear that the fragmentation of counseling, behavioural health services, and medical reimbursement creates problems of confusion, frustration and undue gaps in support,” she says. “When we address fragmentation, we improve service, adoption and health outcomes.”
Holistic mental health support for today’s employees
TELUS Health offers a one-stop shop for employers looking to support total wellbeing across the continuum of care – providing support for employees that is personalised, integrated, and accessible.
Accessible and personalised mental health support is available through its Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) available 24/7, 365 days a year and other innovative mental health solutions. Access to trained mental health professionals in the form of counselling can be unlimited, and is available in-person, virtually, over the phone or through chat.
Access to health professionals is available to employees day or night, and their job is to ensure that employees in crisis and employees who are thriving get the customised support they need – where, when, and how they need it. The service is also available in multiple languages to assist employees anywhere in the world.
Global expertise
The company is trusted by employers and HR leaders like Tatiana Mututantri at Motorola. When speaking about why Motorola chose TELUS Health, she emphasises the insights the solution provides:
“Our employees benefit from structured guidance and advice, and we benefit from understanding which of our populations need more support. The support and collaboration with our TELUS Health team has helped us understand the data, provide insights, and enables us to tailor employee training to each country, providing the most relevant, valued support to our employees.”
Powered by employees and a diverse network of thousands of healthcare professionals, TELUS Health combines the strength of its team with technology to deliver results for its clients, covering 67 million lives around the globe in 160 countries.
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