With the pandemic lasting longer than anyone anticipated, plus all the political turmoil in America and now war abroad, the uptick in anxiety and depression have surged from 36% to 42% in a six-month stretch, with the most drastic increases among those ages 18 to 29. (See https://www.principal.com/businesses/trends-insights/how-support-employee-mental-health-stressful-times for more.) The good news is employers are responding accordingly: Seventy-four percent of business leaders surveyed in March 2021 agreed that mental health and well-being offerings are important for employees and this trend is continuing. https://www.principal.com/businesses/trends-insights/how-support-employee-mental-health-stressful-times Many employers are creating a supportive work environment, employee mental health benefits can affect a business’s bottom line. A 2018 Tufts Medical Center study (PDF) showed that people suffering both mental and physical disorders can double or triple health care costs. Your first and least "expensive" way to show employees that you care is to start the conversation about mental health, noting that it is okay to not be perfect, and encouraging people to speak up about mental health concerns. Below are a couple of articles with more ideas on how to support mental health among your employees and what to look out for. Why Employers Should Help https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/tools-resources/workplace-health/mental-health/index.html Supporting Employee Mental Health and Well-Being https://www.principal.com/businesses/trends-insights/how-support-employee-mental-health-stressful-times WORK SAFETY: Who's most likely to cause workplace violence? https://www.pinnacol.com/blog/safe-work-workplace-violence- Let's keep our employees mental health strong by creating a mentally healthy and safe work area!