3 keys: Taking mental health benefits to the next level
By
The coronavirus pandemic has underscored how beneficial it is to have mental healthcare resources for your employees to keep stress, anxiety and burnout under control. But is your workforce getting the most out of your firm’s investment in their well-being? Here are some ways to enhance those mental health benefits programs.
Expand access
An employee assistance program (EAP) offers support services to participating staff. Employees and their families can request assessments, referrals and counseling.
Because EAPs are a voluntary benefit, it can be offered to your part-time employees, an employee’s family members or employees covered by a family member’s health plan.
Create incentives
According to a Workplace Options survey, more than half of Americans incorrectly believe that mental health care isn’t covered by their health plan. An effective way to clear up this misunderstanding is employee engagement campaigns and incentives.
One example is a wellness challenge where employees receive points for completing a series of tasks on a wellness portal. The one with the most points wins something like a trial subscription to online counseling provider Talkspace.
Ask questions
It’s a good idea for Benefits and HR to meet and find honest answers to these questions:
- Are your employees aware they can access mental health services via telehealth?
- Do they have appropriate time off available to get to their appointments?
- Do they feel confident there won’t be repercussions for using mental healthcare services?
- Does your customized benefits package have so many vendors involved that employees aren’t aware there’s mental health care?
Info: 3 tips for taking your mental health and well-being benefits to the next level
Further Reading
Washington Paid Leave Premium Increases Jan. 1
On Jan. 1, 2027, Washington’s Paid Family & Medical Leave premium increases to 1.2%, from 1.13%. Employers will pay 29.3% of the paid leave premium; the employee share is 70.7%. Employers may cover some or all of employees’ share. Generally, employers with fewer than 50 employees don’t need to pay the employer share unless they […]
Year-End Fringe Benefits: Check Payroll’s Accounting Cutoff
With year-end approaching, payroll teams should review whether the IRS’s optional special accounting rule makes sense for certain taxable noncash fringe benefits. The rule lets employers treat benefits provided during November and December (or a shorter period within those months) as paid in the following year. For example, personal use of a company vehicle in […]
Handy Open Enrollment Jargon Cheat Sheet for You
Open enrollment can be a hectic time of year for HR pros and the employees you help. Add open enrollment jargon to the mix, and you can ensure confusion will flourish. Clarifying Open Enrollment Jargon So we’re equipping our readers — and your employees — with a handy jargon cheat sheet to get through benefits […]
Massachusetts Changes PFML Contribution Allocation for 2027
Massachusetts recently updated its paid family and medical leave contribution guidance after passing Chapter 101 of the Acts of 2026. The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The law shifts employer contributions from medical leave to family leave to mitigate the impact of IRS guidance on PFML benefit taxation. Employers with 25 or more covered […]
Make a Bigger Impact with Your Benefits with the Right Choices | 2-Minute Video
Choosing benefits isn’t a check-the-box activity for employees anymore. Employees want — and need — benefits that fit their lives. Notice, we didn’t say they need more. They need the right benefits so they can use them and manage them to the fullest. What’s Up in This Episode: Right-Fit Benefits That’s why, in this episode […]
Why Employees Struggle With Open Enrollment and 6 Ways to Help
As open enrollment season looms, HR departments will want to prepare to help employees before it even starts. They’ll have questions, and you want to give them the information they need to make the best decisions about their benefits. Employees have confidence in you to answer questions and take care of them: Two-thirds of employees […]