How Do Corporate Wellness Programs Address Employee Modern Day Mental Health Needs
Definition of Mental Health
First, let’s understand what is included in the definition of mental health since it is a multi-dimensional concept. The Center for Disease Control defines mental health as including our emotional, psychological, and social. Our mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we manage stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Did you know that before the pandemic, the World Health Organization estimated that mental illness affected 1 in 4 people globally every year? That was the statistic before the global pandemic.
A recent review published in The Lancet has now confirmed the extent of the global burden of the pandemic with an increased prevalence of major depressive disorder (extra 53.2 million cases) and anxiety disorders (extra 76.2 million cases). The report goes on to explain that younger people and women are affected the most. We are in the midst of a mental health crisis.
Mainstream Corporate Mental Health Services
What Has Defined the Mainstream Approach to Mental Health well being?
So let’s explore mainstream mental health practices in Corporate America and see whether they meet the considerable demand for employee mental health support. It is true that the hardships of the pandemic have made discussions over mental health more mainstream. So this is an opportunity for corporations to step back, assess and invest wisely in the mental well-being of their employees, as well as improving work environments. For employees, it is also an opportunity to voice their perspectives on job stress, provide feedback on employer-sponsored programs, overall health in the workplace, and how changes in increased mental health support can have a positive impact on employee performance and corporate success.
The classic Employee Assistance Program (EAP) program, according to Health and Human Services, can help employees with personal problems that affect their job performance. EAPs can identify and address a wide range of health, financial, and social issues, including mental and/or substance use disorders. Some EAPs concentrate primarily on alcohol, prescription drug, and other drug issues. To address such issues, EAPs usually offer services, such as employee education, individual assessments, organizational assessments, management consultation, referrals to treatment, and short-term counseling. The overall goal is to support employees’ mental well-being and physical wellness.
Is This Approach Sufficient? A Brief Look at the Data
The short answer is we’re not there yet. According to the American Institute of Stress, management figures have the potential to represent a solution for stressed employees, and research does show that 96% of employers provide mental health resources to staff. But the effectiveness of this support doesn’t always translate, with only 1 in 6 employees feeling supported by these employer-sponsored programs. There is also a disconnect in perceptions between management and employees. In 2021, management consulting firm McKinsey & Company found that 65% of employers believed they were adequately supporting employee mental health wellness. About 51% of workers agreed. The disconnect is most pronounced when it comes to perceived benefits for frontline employees and access to care for employees with a substance use disorder. With this group, the perceived benefit drops to 27%.
According to Harvard Business Review, Mind Share Partners’ 2021 Mental Health at Work Report revealed the following findings:
Sixty-eight percent of Millennials (50% in 2019) and 81% of Gen Zers (75% in 2019) have left roles for mental health reasons.
Seventy-six percent of respondents reported at least one symptom of a mental health condition in the past year, up from 59% in 2019.
only 49% of respondents described their experience of talking about mental health at work as positive or reported that they received a positive or supportive response, which is comparable to 2019 rates.
younger workers and historically underrepresented groups are still struggling the most.
These sobering statistics only look at employee mental health. What is the impact on the corporate bottom line? According to Business Week, from depression to anxiety, from substance abuse to alcohol addiction, common psychiatric disorders take a remarkable, if little-discussed, toll. In lost productivity and absenteeism alone, the cost to business approaches $312 billion annually. So Corporate America has a financial, and most would argue a moral obligation, to better address overall employee mental well-being - supporting healthy work-life balance, improving stress management skills, and all levels of management promoting mental health in the workplace,
The New Direction of Corporate Wellness
According to the 12th Annual Employer-Sponsored Health & well-being Survey conducted in 2021, by Fidelity Investments and the nonprofit Business Group on Health, employers are responding to the changing needs of their workforce by focusing on:
Employee mental health and emotional well-being. Ninety-two percent of respondents expanded their support for programs addressing issues such as stress management, sleep improvement, and resiliency, as well as supporting mental health programs for dependent children.
Work/life balance. Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of employers increased work/life opportunities, with 69 percent adding new leave options or expanding their leave benefits during the pandemic.
Caregiving. Sixty-four percent enhanced child care support; 55 percent provided new paid time off to care for a child or other family member, and 48 percent provided backup child care support.
Financial well-being. Eighty-three percent have or will provide programs to support emergency savings, debt management, and budgeting, while another 77 percent will offer resources to support key financial decisions such as mortgages, wills, and income protection.
Mind Share Partners’ Ecosystem of a Mentally Healthy Workplace Framework adds the importance of culture change. The need for employee mental health to be the responsibility of all levels of management and not uniquely an HR function. A culture of trust must also be created or strengthened so that there isn’t a fear to apply for offered services.
Complementary Services That Should be Considered for Corporate Wellness Programs
People are becoming more familiar with the benefits of complementary health services to better manage stress and improve their mental health and overall well-being. With increased knowledge and exposure, the mystique around these services is fading. In many cases, these services support preventative care and therefore can be considerably less expensive than treating chronic conditions. How people are exposed to these services differs. There is also a large population in our society that still struggles with certain health issues despite being treated with traditional western medicine. As this population seeks alternative health services, there is an increased acceptance as they experience the benefits first-hand. For others, it is the result of increased awareness of a holistic mind-body-spirit approach to life and health. So whether these services are selected as complements to western medicine or are chosen in lieu of them, and therefore alternative, science, and experience have demonstrated their considerable contribution to the wellness sector.
What Is Qigong and Why Haven't I Heard of It Before?
Qigong has been around for thousands of years. The National Qigong Association describes Chinese technology “ as a mind-body-spirit practice that improves one's mental and physical health by integrating posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound, and focused intent. Qigong opens the flow of energy in meridians used in acupuncture and Chinese medicine.” After hearing about it for years, I recently tried it and am impressed with its ease and power. For those of you who know me well, you know that I always talk about finding ways to easily reduce dis-ease in the body and mind. Because the postures in qigong are quite simple and a class can be as short as 10 minutes, it is on my short list of wellness approaches.
What are the Health Benefits of Qigong?
Qigong is accessible to most people since you apply simple poses and breathing techniques; they can also be done in a chair, which makes it even more accessible. The poses are also much simpler than yoga asanas. According to the Cleveland Clinic, benefits include:
reduces depression and relief of stress;
lessens chronic fatigue;
boosts the immune system;
fights fatigue and mood disturbance in cancer patients.
Kundalini Yoga and Its Effect on Mental Health
As I shared in my blog, Kundalini Yoga for Beginners, A Primer, Kundalini Yoga is different from any other yoga you’ve ever practiced. It’s incredibly efficient in moving energy in the body. So if you want quick results, Kundalini Yoga is for you. The thousands of classes are prescriptive series of integrated postures, breath work, mantras, mudras, and meditation to move energy through the body in support of your nervous and glandular systems. Think of it as the yoga of acupuncture, supporting you to better cope with life’s daily challenges and stresses.
How Does Yoga Broadly Improve Mental Health
All types of yoga offer you certain foundational mental health benefits. According to WebMD, science shows that yoga can:
release mood-boosting chemicals including brain messengers such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine;
relieve depression. Researchers have found that yoga is comparable to other treatments, such as medication and psychotherapy. Yoga is usually inexpensive and doesn't cause the same side effects as many medicines. It can even benefit those with major depressive disorder.
Understanding Reiki and Energy Transfer for Mental Health
Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It has been practiced in Japan for thousands of years. The current form of technology was developed in 1922. How does it work? When the flow of the ki/chi in the body is disrupted, it affects the physical body. Blocked energy is the main cause of illness. Reiki can clear, straighten and heal energy pathways. As a result, the chi can again flow more easily. Reiki is administered either with a laying of the hands in person or remotely. As you may know, I recently became a reattuned practitioner. I find the similarity to gong sound therapy interesting in that you, the client, don’t need to be able to identify the energetic blockage in the body. The chi flows to where it is needed. I have experienced it firsthand during my self Reiki sessions. My hands may be on the back of my head, yet I feel tingling sensations in my abdomen.
Benefits of Reiki
Its benefits are quite well known and it is offered quite widely in hospitals and other mainstream health facilities as part of a holistic approach to healthcare. According to the Cleveland Clinic, Reiki promotes relaxation, stress reduction, and symptom relief to improve overall health and well-being. It can:
Bring on a meditative state.
Stimulate your body’s immune system.
Relieve pain and tension.
Support the well-being of people receiving traditional medical treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and kidney dialysis.
How Does it Work?
The practitioner is a conduit of chi, channeling the universal life force energy through her/his hands. The client is fully clothed either sitting or lying down so it can easily be offered in the workplace as part of a holistic wellness program. Depending on the desire of the client, the practitioner can gently apply hands directly onto the person or hover a few inches above the body. Reiki can also be performed remotely. The practitioner applies a series of about a dozen hand positions. Since clients are fully clothed, either sitting or lying down, it can easily be offered in the workplace as part of a holistic wellness program.
Gong Sound Therapy Is the Mental Health Rejuvenation Done For You
I have blogged extensively on the benefits of gong sound therapy. Whether private or in a group, clients can experience the gong either sitting or lying down. So it is accessible to all. It is an excellent option for lunchtime or end-of-workday employee wellness activities. As I shared in my blog, Top Wellness Trends for 2022, Mind, Body, Green, lists sound healing as the number one wellness trend for 2022 and shares that “sound healing is taking the well-being world by storm”. Regular gong sessions can support your employees to be more relaxed and focused. The experience quiets the mind, reducing the chatter and supporting greater focus. Gong sound therapy has also been proven to reduce stress, tension, and anxiety.
In another blog, 3 Corporate Wellness Solutions that Your Company Probably Hasn’t Considered (and Should ), gong sound therapy is an altered state therapy, it brings your mind to a meditative state without any effort. There is a reason it is called the smart or lazy person’s meditation! The softening of the mind’s control brings you mental relief and can also increase creativity as it supports the flow and realignment of energy in the body. Experience what is called gong consciousness - a clarity of mind that comes from getting out of your head and shifting to a more holistic perspective that is more sensing than thinking. How does it work? The gong’s vibrations create ripples in the body that can shift energy and provide relief from energetic imbalances. The unique sounds and resounds are difficult for a thinking mind to label. After several minutes of experiencing these unique tones and vibrations, the mind surrenders to what it cannot identify.
Complementary Mental Health Services for the Times We Live In
Employers are continuing to respond to the needs of a more self-aware workforce that prioritizes good mental health and a healthy work-life balance. Most employers recognize that simply offering gym memberships and apps, though cost-effective, is not sufficient to meet and maintain their employees’ mental health needs. In order to recruit and retain highly productive employees, employers need to adapt their cultures and expand their menu of employer-sponsored programs to include complementary services and meet the changing demands of today’s workforce. These expanded employer-sponsored programs have a cost. However, this equation also needs to consider the costs of insurance coverage, absenteeism, and productivity. Complementary services can reduce the effects of job stress, which in turn can reduce conditions that increase insurance premiums and impact absenteeism. Offering these services on a regular basis is cost-effective and can also provide those intangible benefits that many employees want - greater positive mental health and that intangible sense of improved overall well-being.
Try a Reiki and Gong Sound Therapy Session
For the ultimate deep relaxation experience, treat yourself or a loved one to a 30-minute gong sound therapy session followed by 60 minutes of Reiki.