Mental health at work: why only 14% of spending goes to prevention

About 86% of employer spending on mental health goes to reacting. Only 14% goes to prevention.

How much does mental health cost employers?

According to a CSA Group Public Policy Centre report released this spring, mental health costs Canadian employers more than $110 billion a year: disability, wage replacement and benefits. And only about 14% of mental health spending goes to prevention.

Are the programs being used?

Yes. A Leger study for Dialogue published this summer found that 67% of employees with workplace benefits used them in the past year. But among those who used them, only 20% were very satisfied. And just 31% of HR leaders regularly get clear data from their provider.

Where is the gap?

After 20+ years in this industry, at the insurer, the mental health and wellbeing provider, in virtual care and in clinics, I keep seeing the same gap. The problem isn't what's offered. It's how it's chosen, used and measured.

What questions should you ask?

• Do you know what your employees actually use, and why they don't use the rest?
• Does your provider show you outcomes, or just utilization?
• How much of your budget goes to prevention?

That's what we do at Solani Advisory: help employers choose, integrate and measure their health and wellbeing programs, independently.

First published on LinkedIn