Six in 10 employees have considered quitting their jobs because of their mental health. That number may stop you in your tracks, and it should. Not just because of what it means for hiring budgets and turnover rates, but because of what it tells us about the people behind those numbers. They are your team. People who show up every day, carry your business forward and are quietly navigating more than most of us realize.
The good news? You can make a meaningful, positive impact on your workers’ well-being.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it's an ideal moment to pause and ask: are we doing enough to support the people who make our work possible? This article is for business owners who care about that question and want practical, thoughtful ways to create meaningful change. From mental health coverage and wellness benefits to workplace culture and leadership, here's what you need to know about supporting employee well-being in the modern workplace.
Why employee well-being is a business owner's concern
There's a particular kind of weight that comes with leading a team. You're not just responsible for strategy and revenue. You're responsible for your people. Their livelihoods, their growth and their daily experience of showing up to work. That sense of responsibility is worth leaning into, because the businesses that thrive long-term are the ones where people genuinely want to be.
The data reinforces what most good leaders already know:
- Well-recognized employees are 45% less likely to leave within two years1
- Employees who receive meaningful feedback on their performance are five times as likely to be engaged2
- Replacing a team member can cost anywhere from half to four times their annual salary3
Supporting your people isn't separate from building a resilient business. The data tells a clear story: employee support is key to avoiding costly employee turnover and retaining your talent.
Mental health in the modern workplace
The way we work has changed and it's taking a toll. With hybrid and work-from-home arrangements, the line between work and personal time has blurred and isolation has increased. Toxic productivity has become a quiet norm, and alongside the pressures employees carry from their personal lives — illness, caregiving, financial strain — it’s impacting how people do business, communicate and cope in ways that often go unrecognized.
The impact shows up in the numbers. Over the last year, 53% of employees reported feeling burned out, and nearly 40% said their mental health suffered because of work demands. Most never say anything about it: 41% cite stigma or judgment as the reason, and 33% don't want to seem weak. That shows that silence isn’t always contentment. Often, it’s self-protection. 4
This is where you come in. Eighty-four percent of employees say their direct manager is the person most responsible for helping them feel comfortable speaking up, and that comfort begins at the top.5 The signals you send every day can have a significant impact on your entire workforce.
How benefits support mental well-being
While most businesses offer essential medical, dental and vision benefits, additional coverages and clear communication can have a huge impact on employees’ well-being.
Health plan coverage
Most employer-sponsored health plans include some level of mental health coverage like therapy, psychiatric care and crisis support. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires that mental health benefits be comparable to medical and surgical benefits, but what that looks like in practice varies significantly by plan.
When you're reviewing your coverage, ask specifically whether preventive mental health tools are included, not just crisis intervention. Over half of employers lack preventive benefits, meaning employees often don't have access to support until things have already become difficult.
Employee assistance programs
An employee assistance program, or EAP, provides employees with confidential access to short-term counseling, referrals for additional care and often financial and legal guidance as well. Sixty-seven percent of HR leaders say mental health support is the most important feature when evaluating an EAP.6
The challenge is that EAPs are chronically underutilized. Employees avoid them due to stigma, concerns about confidentiality or the misconception that they're only for serious crises. If you offer an EAP, communication matters as much as access. Make sure employees know what it covers, how it works and that it's genuinely confidential. Normalize its use, not as a last resort, but as a regular resource.
Disability insurance
Mental health conditions are a leading cause of workplace disability. Short-term and long-term disability coverage can protect an employee's income if a serious mental health condition, such as major depressive disorder or severe anxiety, temporarily prevents them from working. This type of coverage doesn't just provide financial stability in a difficult moment. It removes one of the biggest barriers to actually stepping back and getting help: the fear of losing income while doing so.
Digital tools and mental health apps
Increasingly, employers are supplementing traditional benefits with digital mental health tools like apps for stress management, mindfulness, sleep and resilience. These can help bridge the gap between formal care and day-to-day support, particularly for employees who face barriers like stigma, scheduling constraints or limited provider availability.
Clear communication
One of the most actionable things you can do as a business owner is ensure your benefits package supports your employees' mental health and that your team knows what's available to them.
Here's a sobering gap to be aware of: only 13% of employees know how to access mental health care through their employer-sponsored health insurance7. Less than 20% use the mental health resources their employer offers8. You may already have meaningful support in place that your team doesn't know how to find. It’s vital to ensure your employees know what they have access to, whether it's new or existing.
Financial wellness as mental wellness
Financial stress and mental health are more connected than most benefits conversations acknowledge. Only 33% of employees rate their financial security as excellent or very good. And when a major unexpected expense like a medical bill, car repair or family emergency occurs, about 60% of affected employees report that it triggers an emotional or mental health issue. Nearly 40% of those employees continue to rate their overall emotional health as fair or poor even after the financial event has passed.9
The implication for employers is direct: benefits that reduce financial uncertainty are also mental health benefits. They reduce the background anxiety that quietly drains your employees' energy and focus every day.
Retirement planning
A 401(k) or similar retirement plan gives employees a structured, tax-advantaged path to long-term financial security. When employers offer matching contributions, that impact compounds and the message it sends is just as important as the dollars. It says: we're invested in your future, not just your present. That kind of forward-looking support builds loyalty in ways that few other benefits can match.
Life insurance
Employer-sponsored life insurance provides employees with peace of mind that their families will be financially protected if something happens to them. For employees who are primary earners or supporting dependents, this coverage removes a specific, often significant source of anxiety. It's one of the more quietly powerful benefits you can offer.
Disability insurance
Disability coverage protects an employee's income when they can't work. From a financial wellness perspective, it closes a gap that can otherwise be catastrophic — particularly for employees who don't have significant savings to fall back on.
Financial wellness programs
Many EAPs include financial counseling and legal assistance alongside mental health support. Beyond that, some employers are expanding into more holistic financial wellness programming like resources for budgeting, debt management and emergency savings. These aren't expensive additions, but they signal to employees that your respect and support extends beyond the workplace.
Building a culture of support beyond benefits
Benefits are the foundation, but culture is what determines whether people actually use them. A mentally healthy workplace isn't built by adding an occasional yoga class to the calendar. It's built through daily norms, leadership behavior and the signals your organization sends about what's acceptable and what's valued.
What does that look like in practice? It means an environment where employees can share struggles, voice concerns and ask for help without fear of judgment or retaliation. It means sustainable expectations and leaders who model the behavior they want to see, not just talk about it.
A few practical steps that don't require a big budget:
- Set boundaries on after-hours communication — Make it clear that emails and messages outside of work hours aren't expected to be answered until the next day.
- Add a well-being check-in to regular one-on-ones — A simple question like "Are there any challenges I can help you with?" before jumping into project updates opens the door.
- Create informal connection — Randomized coffee chats or team lunches build the social fabric that makes people feel they belong.
Flexibility also plays a direct role. Fifty-seven percent of employees say flexible working hours would improve their quality of life, but only 49% have access to that flexibility.10 Where your business model allows it, giving employees some control over when and how they work is one of the highest-return investments you can make in their well-being.
How to evaluate your current benefits package
If you’re wondering if your current benefits package is doing enough to support your employees, start here:
- Does our health plan include meaningful mental health coverage and not just crisis intervention? Look for preventive tools, access to a broad provider network and mental health parity across the plan.
- Do our employees actually know what's available to them? Awareness is as important as access. If you offer an EAP, mental health apps or counseling benefits, when did you last communicate about them? A benefit no one knows about isn't functioning as a benefit.
- Are there gaps in financial protection? Review your disability, life and retirement coverage and ask whether your current package would provide meaningful income protection if an employee faced a serious physical or mental health event.
- How often are we reviewing this? Benefits packages should be reviewed at least annually. But certain moments should trigger an earlier conversation: significant team growth, demographic shifts in your workforce, changes in your industry or region or feedback from employees about unmet needs.
- What's the difference between checking boxes and actually supporting people? A benefits package that simply checks boxes meets the minimum. An effective one is tailored to your team's needs, communicated clearly and regularly reviewed. The goal isn't just compliance, but confidence that employees are covered, valued and supported when needed.
Supporting your team is an ongoing commitment — we're here for it
The through line in all of this is simple: employees who feel seen, trusted and supported bring more of themselves to work. That's good for them, and it's good for your business.
As employees’ needs evolve, your business grows and your team changes, your local Highstreet agent is here to help you navigate those changes with the right coverage, the right conversations and a benefits strategy that supports your entire business — your employees’ wellness included.
We’re ready to help you build a workplace where your people feel genuinely supported today and into the future. Reach out to your Highstreet agent to get started.
1 Gallup (2024). The Human-Centered Workplace.
2 Gallup (2024). The Human-Centered Workplace.
3 Applauz (2026). The Real Costs of Employee Turnover in 2026.
4 National Alliance on Mental Illness (2026). Workplace Mental Health Survey.
5 National Alliance on Mental Illness (2026). Workplace Mental Health Survey.
6 Headspace (2025). Workforce State of Mind.
7 National Alliance on Mental Illness (2026). Workplace Mental Health Survey.
8 Calm (2025). Understanding Workforce Stress and the Path to Well-being.
9 Calm (2025). Understanding Workforce Stress and the Path to Well-being.
10 JLL (2025). JLL Workforce Performance Barometer 2025.