Not getting better: 87% of employees are struggling with mental health challenges

It's not getting easier for many employees who are still struggling with their mental health. 

According to Lyra Health's most recent State of Workforce Mental Health report, 87% of employees faced at least one mental health challenge in the last year, and two-thirds experienced mental health stress that negatively impacted their work. 

While stress and burnout were still common challenges for employees, many of their mental health needs have become more complex, the report found. Eleven percent are dealing with severe or chronic depression or anxiety, while 5% are managing a substance use disorder. Thoughts of suicide have also increased, as 5% of employees are struggling with this, up from 3% in 2022. 

Read more: Lyra Health addresses serious mental health needs with expanded benefit network

As employees have grappled with the trauma of COVID, there's been a marked delay in their ability to process emotions, leading to the emergence of these more complex mental health conditions. 

"Stress and anxiety are typically anticipated responses and directly attributable to the onset of large-scale events," Dr. Alethea Varra, senior vice president of clinical care at Lyra Health, said in a release. "It's only later, often when the immediate threat has subsided, that the cumulative toll of sustained stress and uncertainty begins to manifest in more complex conditions like chronic depression, substance use disorder, and suicidal thoughts."

For many employees, insufficient care and limited access to mental health resources could have stunted their recovery and led to unhealthy coping tools like addiction or self-harm. Business Group on Health found that 77% of employers offered virtual counseling or telehealth, yet just one-third offer support for more complex needs like substance use disorders. 

Read more: How 'psychological first aid' can help employees manage the stress of current events

Without proper intervention now, employers are facing a challenging road ahead. Lyra's report found that 65% of employees said their mental health made it difficult to do their work, a 35% increase from 2020. Seven percent have missed one day of work or more due to their mental health condition. 

The work culture at an organization can also exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety employees are suffering from: Heavy workloads, unclear expectations, bullying or harassment and a lack of managerial support are all mental health risk factors. 

"Managers who practice key skills, such as managing workload capacity, fostering career growth and providing greater job control can improve well-being, job effectiveness and engagement across the team," Dr. Joe Grasso, VP of workforce transformation, said in the report. "These are all learnable skills, but first managers need to be motivated." 

Fortunately, it is becoming more common to discuss mental health in the workplace, as 41% of employees say they feel comfortable discussing these issues with their managers, up 15% since 2020. Employers should continue to invest in their mental health offerings, and expand access to more care options for complex mental health needs. 

"Employers need to broaden their mental health care offerings and anti-stigma campaigns," Grasso said. "We need educational campaigns that promote the idea that these severe crisis moments can occur. It's time to say these words out loud in the workplace."