Mental health support tops the list of expected employee demands for 2025, according to research released today by Towergate Employee Benefits.
Nearly a third (31%) of employers surveyed said they believe there will be an increased demand for support.
The research conducted by Opinium on behalf of Towergate Employee Benefits among 500 HR decision makers across the UK from 7 to 16 January 2025.
Other areas where employers think they will see an increased demand for support in the coming year range from financial wellbeing to menopause.
But if ‘male mental health’ and ‘line manager mental wellbeing’ are taken into account along with the figure focusing generally on ‘mental health’, then in fact 62% of employers think there will be increased demand for mental health support.
And most of the other areas of concern can have a negative impact on mental health too.
Towergate said: “Employers should look to experts to assist them in the choice of mental health support, and how to balance this with increased demand on other areas of assistance too.
“While mental health may top the list of requirements, helping employees to deal with their financial and caring responsibilities, along with their physical fitness, for example, will largely help to boost their mental health too.”
Niche and diverse
Some of the areas where employees are looking for support are very specific and only likely to apply to a smaller number of the workforce, including such matters as neurodiversity and fertility.
Towergate said: “It is important, therefore, that employers are able to offer health and wellbeing programmes that are adaptable and can be tailored towards specific needs.
“New areas of employee support are emerging all the time and include such diverse areas as eldercare, special needs and neurodiversity.
“The support for these is equally multi-faceted, including helping to find the best places for care and education, as well as guidance on funding, and mental health care for those impacted by caring responsibilities.”
Growing number of ways
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Employee Benefits, said: “The good news is that there are a growing number of ways in which employers are able to support the mental health needs of employees, from providing access to an Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) to inpatient psychiatric care.
“This greater provision has corresponded with increased awareness of the support available and an increased propensity to access it.
“All of this is hugely positive for the employee, but it does create growing expectations for the employer to provide ever-expanding support.”
Clark said: “Support is becoming not only more diverse but also more specific. For instance, rather than just ‘mental health’, support can be tailored for each gender, or by age-group, and will often include a more holistic approach that looks at lifestyle, nutrition and building resilience too.
“Employees are being pulled in so many different directions, with a need to keep themselves, older relatives and younger dependants healthy and happy. Increasingly, people are now turning to their employer for assistance.
“Employers cannot and should not be expected to be experts in all these areas.
“They therefore need support and guidance, just as much as their employees do.”
