The Mental Health Gap: Why Employees Avoid Workplace Resources
The Mental Health Gap: Why Employees Aren’t Using Available Resources
Employers often emphasize the importance of employee well-being, with many offering benefits such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to support their workforce. However, a recent study by Prudential Financial reveals a significant disconnect between the availability of these resources and their actual use. Despite the widespread provision of mental health programs, many employees who could benefit from them are not accessing the support they need.
The 2025 Benefits & Beyond report highlights that nearly two-thirds of U.S. workers (63%) express concerns about their own or their family’s mental health. Yet, more than half of those with access to an EAP have never used it. This gap in utilization has far-reaching consequences, affecting not only individuals but also the broader economy. According to Gallup, employees struggling with mental health miss four times more work, resulting in $47.6 billion in lost productivity annually in the U.S.
Michael Estep, president of Prudential Group Insurance, emphasized the need for employers to address this issue. “The workplace is facing a mental health wake-up call — and an opportunity to cultivate a more supportive culture,” he said. “Employers must step up to provide needed support and foster a culture where using mental health programs is not only acceptable but encouraged.”
Prudential’s research identified three key insights into why the gap persists and how companies can begin to close it.
Insight One: A Gap in Perceptions of Well-Being
While 97% of employers consider overall employee well-being important, only 63% of employees feel their benefits package actually helps them manage their well-being. Even fewer (55%) believe their benefits help them manage workplace stress. These perceptions vary significantly across gender, generation, and industry.
Men (70%) are more likely than women (57%) to say their benefits are helpful. Millennials (66%) are the most optimistic compared to Gen Z (59%) and Boomers (63%). By industry, tech workers (78%) feel most supported, while those in healthcare (60%) and government/public education (54%) are less confident.
EAPs illustrate this disconnect. Nearly six in 10 employers offer them, and 68% say they’re satisfied with the results. However, only 31% of employees have used their EAP, despite strong satisfaction (69%) among those who do.
Women face unique challenges when it comes to mental health at work. For example:
- 39% of women are scared to bring up their mental health at work due to potential negative consequences (vs. 43% of men).
- 36% of women are concerned their job wouldn’t be there when they returned if they took leave to care for their mental health (vs. 42% of men).
- 57% of women agree that their benefits help them manage their overall well-being and stress.
- 50% of women said they haven’t needed to use their employer’s employee assistance program (vs. 55% of men).
Insight Two: Barriers to Use Remain Stubborn
More than half of employees with access to an EAP (55%) have never tried it. Of that group, most (54%) said they haven’t needed it, but others cite lack of knowledge (22%), solving the issue on their own (18%), or finding the program too complex (10%).
Stigma and confidentiality remain major obstacles. Forty percent of employees are scared to bring up mental health at work due to negative consequences, while 38% worry their job wouldn’t be there if they took leave. Another 38% believe managers or colleagues gossip about others’ mental health struggles.
Generational differences are particularly pronounced. Nearly half of Gen Z (46%) and Millennials (47%) fear negative consequences compared to just 27% of Boomers. Younger workers are also more likely to doubt their job security if they took mental health leave.
Insight Three: Communication Is Just as Important as Benefits
Even when programs exist, many employees don’t know enough about them. Employers overwhelmingly report communicating about EAPs during open enrollment, awareness months, or when employees might need support. But far fewer employees remember those messages — just 64% recall hearing about EAPs during open enrollment, 24% during awareness month, and only 17% say a manager ever raised it.
This awareness gap suggests that timing and the method of communication matter as much as frequency. To bridge this gap, employers can:
- Reinforce the value and confidentiality of EAPs
- Train managers to have stigma-free conversations
- Communicate beyond open enrollment with reminders tied to real-life stressors
- Look at well-being holistically, including finances, caregiving, and long-term stability
Employees and employers also agree on the importance of going beyond traditional benefits. Mental health days, flexible schedules, and stress management programs — offerings outside the usual open enrollment process — were cited as among the most helpful.
The Path Forward
The data clearly shows that offering mental health resources isn’t enough. The report highlights five key takeaways businesses should consider incorporating into their workplace plans:
- Support employees’ mental health needs by looking at them holistically and broadly and addressing them proactively with a long-term view.
- Promote program engagement and elevate mental well-being as a core workplace priority, which is essential for reducing mental health stigma and fostering a supportive culture.
- Evaluate your EAP program structure and identify any gaps in service, especially for employees in rural/underserved areas.
- Build upon the strong foundation that EAPs provide with additional behavioral health benefits that empower the workforce and boost resilience.
- Assess the effectiveness of program communications and adjust where possible to make them meaningful for employees.
When employees feel supported with mental health resources, nearly eight in 10 say they can effectively manage stress. But when programs don’t meet expectations, that confidence drops dramatically.
For businesses, the payoff of getting this right is significant, from stronger employee resilience to improved productivity. More importantly, addressing mental health at work may be one of the most impactful steps employers can take to build healthier, more sustainable workplaces for the future.
Key Findings
- Untapped Support Opportunity: While 59% of employers report offering an EAP, more than half of employees (55%) have never tried to use their available program. Among those employees, 31% had a need for assistance but still did not use their EAP.
- Silent Struggling: Employees are hesitant to use mental health resources or discuss mental health at work. The greatest barriers they face include fear of negative consequences (40%), concerns about confidentiality (38%), and worries about job security if they take a mental health leave (38%).
- Awareness Gap: Employers believe they frequently communicate about EAPs, yet 22% of employees know little about their available benefits and one in 10 finds them too complex. This presents an opportunity for employers to increase awareness by reviewing the content and frequency of their communications.
- Stress Management Support: When employees are satisfied with their mental health resources, 79% feel well-supported in managing stress and their overall well-being. But when these programs fall short of expectations, their confidence drops to just 48%.
- Going Beyond Traditional: When it comes to the most helpful mental health support, employers should consider options beyond standard benefits offered during open enrollment. Both employers and employees agree the three most helpful and realistic offerings are mental health days, flexible work schedules, and stress management programs.