Description

Unquestionably, mental health has been a top workplace concern for years – and substance use is now just as pressing. Together, the two are reshaping how organizations support their people.

Mental health has emerged as one of the critical issues of our time: a 2024 SHRM survey found 44% of U.S. workers are burned out, and a 2023 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report found 76% experienced at least one symptom of a mental health condition. Substance use compounds the challenge – roughly 49 million Americans live with a substance use disorder, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and about a third of employers report alcohol is a problem in their workforce, with a quarter concerned about opioid and other substance use, per SAMHSA.

We have seen the workplace landscape change dramatically since March 2020. Employees have heightened experience with work and home stressors. The inability to shut off work at home or home at work is more prevalent. A research study conducted in March 2023 revealed many employees are experiencing low energy and exhaustion at the end of the workday, affecting their capacity to engage in activities outside of work. These pressures surface at work as burnout, disengagement, and safety and performance concerns, and they carry legal considerations for HR under laws such as the ADA, FMLA, and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. The panelists will discuss the signs of potential employee struggles and strategies to address them on three levels – the organization, the work group, the individual. Education, awareness, training, and compassion are critical to better understanding mental health in the workplace.