Between 2019 and 2024, the number of workers taking leaves of absence for any reason increased by 30%, according to a new analysis from ComPsych.
The company, which provides employee behavioral health and absence management services, says that there's one type of leave that has increased more than any other: mental health leave. The number of employees taking a leave of absence for mental health reasons increased by 300% over the five-year span.
ComPsych Chief Clinical Officer Jennifer Birdsall told CNBC there are a number of reasons this percentage has jumped "so tremendously," including "ongoing international conflicts, civil unrest, a volatile economy, and political polarization."
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The COVID-19 pandemic, which ignited a larger conversation about mental health and encouraged people to be more open to seeking support, also plays a role in the increase in mental health leaves, Birdsall says.
"The pandemic fundamentally reset norms in absence management for employers," ComPsych CEO Paul Posey said in a statement. "In the ‘new normal,' we're seeing elevated levels of leave across the board, and especially for mental health. This means employers need to reevaluate both their approach to absence management and overall employee well-being to foster workforces that thrive."
Data collected by ComPsych shows that behavior and mental health services provided by an employer can go a long way towards shortening these breaks. The study found that, on average, employees who take a break for any reason and are able to utilize their company's behavior and mental health services return to work six days earlier than those who don't have access to the services.
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For mental health leaves in particular, employees who don't have access to behavioral and mental health services through their employers take leaves that are 12% longer than those who do.
"The data shows that engaging in behavioral health services helps individuals, and ultimately their teams, by getting them back to work sooner," Birdsall said in a statement. "It's especially encouraging to see this remains true regardless of the leave reason… as it demonstrates investing in well-being is beneficial across diverse employee populations and life events."
Birdsall also told CNBC that managers play a critical role in mitigating mental health leaves.
"Teaching managers how to identify team members who are struggling, how to have supportive conversations, and how to refer to various employee benefits makes huge impacts," she says. Adding that finding the right support and services can often help prevent mental health leaves of absence altogether.
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