The Hartford Study

Majority Of Employers Recognize Employee Mental Health As A Significant Workplace Issue, Report Stigma Prevents Treatment

New research from The Hartford, a leading provider of workers’ compensation and disability insurance, found 70% of employers now recognize employee mental health is a significant workplace issue, and 72% said stigma associated with mental illness prevents U.S. workers from seeking help.

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Also, 52% of employers said they are experiencing significant or severe workplace issues due to substance misuse or addiction among their employees, according to The Hartford’s 2021 Future of Benefits Study, which polled U.S. workers and human resource benefit decision-makers this spring.

“A majority of employers said they feel prepared to support their employees’ mental health, and we applaud their efforts to support employees’ overall well-being during these times of intense change,” said The Hartford’s Chairman and CEO Christopher Swift. “Our new data on stigma is a wake-up call. As the U.S. economy is re-built, we urge business leaders to continue to prioritize employee mental health – fostering stigma-free company cultures, increasing access to resources, and encouraging early treatment.”

Today, Swift will speak at The Hill’s virtual event, “Mental Health, Addiction, and the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Other scheduled speakers include Dr. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary of health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Member of the Youth Suicide and Mental Health Task Force and Congressional Black Caucus; U.S. Rep. David Joyce (R-OH), co-chair of the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus; U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY), co-chair of the Mental Health Caucus; Daniel H. Gillison Jr., CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); Courtney Hunter, vice president for state policy for Shatterproof; Dr. David Fiellin, director of the Yale Program in Addiction Medicine; and Jim Carroll, co-founder of DC Consulting LLC and former director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Mental Health Divide

While the national study showed employers have strived to support workforce well-being and foster a more compassionate workplace, employers and workers are divided in key areas about mental health in the workplace:

• 80% of employers said their company culture has been more accepting of mental health challenges in the past year, but only 59% of workers agree;
• 79% of employers said they have an open and inclusive environment that encourages a dialogue about mental health, compared to 52% of workers who agree;
• 77% of employers said leadership at their company encourages conversations about mental health, compared to 56% of workers who agree; and
• 78% of employers said workers have flexibility in their schedule to get the mental health help they need, but just 58% of employees agree about this flexibility.

These divergent perceptions indicate the pervasiveness and power of stigma, as well as the continued need for education and communication about mental illness and addiction.