Workplace Wellness: Can Supporting Wellbeing Increase Productivity?

How would you rate your mental health today on a scale of one 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. 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.

The reality is that our lives aren’t really separated from work because the time we spend at work is part of our life. This is partly why most employers are putting more focus on — and resources into — employee mental health and its link to productivity and profit.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of workers in the U.S. are at high risk of a mental health issue such as depression, anxiety or addiction, and 41% are at moderate risk, according to a recent TELUS Health Mental Health Index.

These statistics have obvious negative implications for the people behind the numbers. But without proper management, employers and our society at large stand to suffer too.

According to Gallup, 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 missing work due to stress or mental illness is projected to cost the US economy billions annually in lost productivity.

“Not only is supporting your people the right thing to do, it’s essential for the success of your business,” says Sid Kosaraju, President, TELUS Health.

Challenges for Employers

When it comes to supporting mental health, choosing effective employee wellbeing tools can be a challenge for employers. The right solutions provide employees with custom support and ease of access.

Personalization 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 Paula Allen, Global Leader, Research & Client Insights, TELUS Health.

Allen also stresses the need for a single front door into a system of care, emphasizing the challenges employers and employees face managing a multitude of services. 

“Both employees and employers have made it clear that the fragmentation of counseling, behavioral 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.”

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. And according to Forbes, 62% 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 and personalized resources to better enable them to prioritize the health and wellbeing of their people. 

An Organization Answers the Call

As a global health and wellbeing company, TELUS Health is working with organizations around the world to help enhance the total wellbeing of employees and their families.

“Our approach to wellbeing is unmatched because it’s three pronged,” says Kosaraju. “We support the physical, mental and financial health of employees because we know these areas are the foundational pillars to total wellbeing.”

TELUS Health entered the health care space nearly 15 years ago to transform the way people access and interact with health care services. In 2022, they acquired a 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.

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.

Total Mental Health — the company’s innovative solution for workforce mental health — provides employees with immediate, unlimited access to continuous mental health counseling that is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

“Continuous counseling that can be designed and accessed at any time in many different ways is the innovative approach we need to help employers support employees who are struggling,” says Kosaraju. Critically, the counseling can be accessed in an individual’s preferred format: in-person, virtually, over the phone or through chat.

Personalization is further enhanced by “care navigators” who are available to employees — at their fingertips — day or night. The job of a care navigator is to ensure that every employee has a care plan that allows them to get the individualized care they need. These experts are also there to help users gain access to other clinicians and services, and to make benefits-use easier to understand.

Global Expertise

Powered by employees and an extensive network of thousands of diverse 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 more than 160 countries.

“Our services and programs ensure employees and their families get the care and support they need, when they need it, in the most efficient way,” says Kosaraju.