Challenge

Through survey responses, employees of a financial services company informed their employer that mental well-being was a critical concern. Mental health-related claims had accounted for a large portion of the company’s healthcare budget for several years.

Yet, the employee assistance program (EAP)—a key component of delivering mental health support—was underutilized. Many who sought care complained of delays in receiving treatment from licensed providers.

The employer asked Hylant to help it understand what was needed and to vet possible solutions.

Solution

A Hylant health strategist and healthcare data analyst worked with the client to evaluate the types of mental health claims that were occurring, the kinds of support employees were requesting and the nature of the work environment, which was often fast-paced and overwhelming.

The team recommended a customized, two-part plan:

1. Increasing the number of available EAP sessions from three to six per employee and leveraging the vendor partner’s communications suite to promote program usage. The employer used the suite to promote the program via its intranet, email, home mailings, internal announcements at team meetings and the organization's well-being promotional network. Usage increased from 4% to 12% within a year.
2. Adding Calm, a mental health app, to the healthcare benefits program. Doing so provided some immediate support to those in need of help. Fifty percent of the employees signed up for the app. Within the first six months, 73% of those engaged with the app, 10% higher than the average.

Mental health and well-being benefits are increasingly important for businesses striving to retain and support their employees. The right partner can help you create a program to address the specific needs of your workforce.