A recent global survey by Modern Health indicates that 71% of employees attribute their need for therapy to workplace stress, with half believing better management could have alleviated their issues. The survey found that 60% of participants feel there is an excessive reliance on therapy for everyday stress.
Read More
Conducted among 2,000 full-time employees from companies with 250 or more staff across the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, and Singapore, the findings suggest therapy has become a common response not only to clinical mental health issues but also to routine workplace challenges and a basic desire for conversation. Despite the high demand for therapy, 88% of respondents indicated that it met their needs. However, the survey highlights a growing concern that therapy is used as a blanket solution for various stressors, resulting in individuals accessing clinical care for non-clinical challenges. This trend often leads to prolonged therapy sessions that may not be necessary.
The implications of this survey come as U.S. employer healthcare costs are projected to increase by 9.2% in 2027, according to the Business Group on Health. As mental health emerges as a leading driver of employer spending, utilization rates climb, and untreated issues are associated with advanced expenses in other health categories, including cancer and cardiometabolic conditions. Notably, 60% of survey respondents felt their therapy was more intense than required.
Alison Borland, Chief People and Strategy Officer at Modern Health, stated that the growing demand for mental health care reflects long-standing unmet needs and progress toward a more integrated healthcare system. However, she emphasized that routing all emotional and behavioral health concerns to the same clinical response may not serve employees' best interests, resulting in unnecessary costs for employers.