Benefits teams have theopportunity to improve employee health, positively impact theirorganizations' bottom line and also help change the current realityof behavioral health care. (Image: Shutterstock)

With the importance of behavioral health in the workplacediscussed more openly than ever before,employers are increasingly recognizing that investing in employees'behavioral health isn't just a social responsibility—it's criticalfor long-term business success. Employees need long-term solutionsfor their own personal benefit and only truly flourish when theyunderstand that their employer cares about their well-being. Thisunderstanding has helped accelerate the overallindustry progress being made to eliminate some of the majorroadblocks to effective behavioral health treatment, like legacystigma and access to care.

Companies are rushing to double down on the amount of money spent onbenefits to help workers take care of their mental health giventhat the momentum around creating mentally healthy and supportiveworkplaces shows no signs of slowing down. There's no doubt thatprioritizing spend on mental health services for employeesindirectly contributes to an organization's bottom linesignificantly, including cost savings linked to fewer absences andhigher levels of productivity and retention.

Related: Employee physical, mental health and employersupport drive productivity

Benefits teams have the opportunity to improve employee health,positively impact their organizations' bottom line and also helpchange the current reality of behavioral health care as awhole. But how can they achieve that goal?

What are the current problems?

Many benefits teams are struggling to effectively demonstratethe economic value of behavioral health investments to companydecision makers because they don't have quality, evidence-basedsolutions that allow them to illustrate the direct connectionbetween behavioral health and workforce productivity, medical costsand total business costs.

It is a very difficult balancing act to meet employee behavioralhealth needs while also ensuring the business itself can createreal ROI. CFOs need to see tangible proof that a solution drivesvalue for both employees and the business. Soft ROI or avoidanceclaims, such as absenteeism, is not always enough. Being able toprove hard ROI—long-term cost savings—going to be key.

A CFO might be able to see that employees are downloading abehavioral health program app and even be shown numbers onengagement. But are the employees getting better? Is working with alicensed therapist through the app decreasing employee absenteeismand improving productivity? Is the program helping the companyretain employees? Many of those answers are not going to comewithin the first few weeks, or even months, that a program isimplemented.

When it comes to providing a behavioral health care solution, itis an understandable move for employers to opt for low cost andeasily implemented options. But many of these "wellness programs"are one-size-fits all and offer none or little efficacy in theirapproach. Along with financial constraints, businesses also faceimplementation bandwidth issues, privacy concerns and even solutionfatigue. With so many options available, how do you know what theright answer even is? What happens if you pick the wrong one?

How do we keep moving forward?

There is a very real business case for investing in holistic careprograms that reduce the negative impact of behavioral health inthe workplace. For businesses, the ultimate price of failing tooffer behavioral health care solutions that effectively addressemployee needs far outweighs the initial investment.

However, to be successful, not all behavioral health innovationscan be treated the same. Diligent research is imperative toensuring that businesses invest in solutions that effectively routeemployees to quality, evidence-based programs. Additionally,benefits and HR teams can then demonstrate ROI to the C-suite bylinking employees' holistic health to their productivity,absenteeism and the long-term impact on business profitability.

HR and benefits teams have the chance to continue to drivepositive change. The problem is real and is being recognized as onethat has an achievable answer. But even with progress being made,the journey is not over. Quality behavioral health care that isaffordable, efficient and delivers proven clinical outcomes exists.Helping decision makers see how the up-front time and costs spenton mental health care will pay off in healthier employees and thecompany's financial well-being. It will also accelerate positiveprogress being made to overcome current barriers preventingmillions from accessing effective and affordable behavioral healthtreatment.

Jonathan Stout is senior vice president ofenterprise growth at AbleTo, a leading provider of virtual behavioralhealth care.

Read more: 

• Can treating behavioral health cut medicalcosts?
• Employer-sponsored benefits and the fight toimprove mental health
• Coming soon: Onsite behavioral healthclinics