Mental Health Benefits in the Tech Industry

Mental illnesses are common: you or someone you know is probably impacted. About 20% of U.S. adults have a mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

As in-person interaction dwindles during the coronavirus pandemic, mental health might be at the top of your mind. It was a big issue in pre-Covid times, and as people deal with the strain of illness, job uncertainty, or isolation, understanding mental health across your job industry is even more important.

We’re taking a deeper dive into how tech companies are working to address mental health in their workplaces.

Why should employers care about mental health?

Individual burnout

Employees in any field who struggle with mental health are at risk of job burnout. The tech industry is no exception.

In 2018, TeamBlind conducted a burnout survey for people in the tech industry. Over 11,000 people responded, and about 57% reported that they suffered from job burnout.

Here are comments from tech employees on TeamBlind:

• “What do you do when you're feeling Tech [burnout]? Worked for some great companies. I have a good manager now and I just am feeling so burnt out right now.” (linked here)
• “Most tech jobs come with a non-trivial amount of pressure: many companies try to squeeze everything they can out of their employees, and incompetent managers are everywhere. Burnout syndrome is real.” (linked here)

With Covid still sweeping across the country, millions of people are facing unemployment and additional stress. And even if you are not personally impacted by mental health struggles or burnout, your company might be affected.

Decreased company productivity

Having good mental health isn’t just beneficial for employees. It also impacts the work environment and product.

According to the Center for Workplace Mental Health, employees with depression across industries miss about 30 days of work per year, and lose nearly another 30 due to lack of productivity. That means even if employers don’t care about employees’ mental health for the sake of morality, they should care about it for the sake of running a financially successful company.

The Center for Workplace Mental Health also notes that over 80% of employees “treated for mental illness report improved levels of work efficacy and satisfaction.”

Many companies are increasingly recognizing the benefits of prioritizing the mental wellness of employees. The percentage of U.S. organizations offering mental health coverage increased from 69% to 87% from 2014 to 2019, according to the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.

Because a large majority of U.S. organizations offered mental health coverage in 2019, the tech industry’s mental health benefits aren’t unheard of. Companies across the country work to support employees’ mental wellbeing.

Mental health benefits in tech

Let’s take a closer look at how mental health benefits work in the technology industry.

Salesforce

Salesforce offers eight free counseling sessions, according to the Salesforce benefits website. The Salesforce website also explains that employees can redeem up to $100 per month for wellness activities like fitness classes, massage therapy, nutrition counseling, and more.

Here’s what Salesforce employees have said about the benefits on Glassdoor:

• “Great benefits. Love the wellbeing program, giving $100 for gym membership & fitness class, etc.”
• “The best thing about the salesforce benefits are the commuter benefits and the wellness reimbursement! My Ventra card is [completely] covered for commuting to the office and I have $100 a month to spend on wellness! This includes gym memberships, fitness classes, massages, facials, food sensitivity tests, etc! It's a great perk and motivates me to get moving!”
• “Pros - Salesforce offers best in class benefits including Wellness Benefits. Equality, equal pay is a core value. We are strongly encouraged to volunteer 56 hours a year (paid).”

Salesforce is also promoting wellness beyond its employees during Covid-19. This spring, Salesforce developed the B-Well Together mental wellness program for employees, but later expanded it to the general public. The program features speakers who discuss topics like mindfulness and meditation.

You can watch the programs here.

Facebook

Salesforce isn’t the only company to offer perks like wellness reimbursement. Facebook also offers reimbursement for eligible benefits like gym memberships and wellness apps (like Headspace), according to Facebook’s mental health coverage website. Headspace is an app that helps users learn to meditate, destress, develop a better sleep routine, and more.

The benefits don't stop there. An article on Facebook’s career website explains that in the U.S, the company offers 25 free therapy sessions per year for employees and dependents. Facebook also has Rethink, a coaching program for employees with children who have learning or behavioral challenges.

Here’s what Facebook employees have said about the mental health benefits on Glassdoor:

• “The best Mental Health services I've seen”
• “The company tries hard to help employees with mental health issues, but there is less support available outside of the bigger offices...”

👉 Make your job search low-stress by understanding Facebook's interview process upfront.

Google

Some tech companies have also created internal networks of employees to improve mental health in the workplace.

For example, Google’s Blue Dot program works to destigmatize talking about mental health. It started as a grassroots program and evolved in an official Google employee resource group.

Google’s blog says participants complete training on effective listening and how to handle issues when employees need more support. The program is online: employees can sign up for “office hours” with listeners, who also sign up online.

Tech companies like Google are also working to promote strategies for helping employees get through the age of Covid-19.

A Google benefits page says:

“Some Googlers have established a routine of neighborhood walks as a mental commute before or after work. Some Googlers have taken advantage of our Carer’s Leave Policy which provides more flexible working arrangements and additional time off for those who need to take care of a loved one. Other Googlers are alternating ‘No Meeting Days’ to make it easier and more predictable swapping off childcare.”

👉 Despite these stellar benefits, Google's company culture is divisive. Learn why here.

Amazon

At Amazon, employees can access “24-hour a day free and confidential counseling services,” according to the benefits website.

They also offer medical leave for mental health issues, if the problem is persistent or severe.

Here’s what an Amazon employee said about mental health benefits on Glassdoor:

“The employee assistance program exists to help associates with any mental or physical health needs. I am very thankful to work for a company that values its associates to such an extent.”

👉 Want to learn more about Amazon's benefits? Check out this article.

Headspace

And if you work at a mindfulness tech company? The focus on mental wellness is for both clients and employees.

At Headspace, employees get a lifetime Headspace subscription and unlimited vacation, according to the Headspace website and Built in LA. Built in LA also reports that Headspace offers optional daily group meditation.

These generous wellness benefits have earned praise on Glassdoor:

• “The benefits package is incredibly generous and thoughtful, they have stepped up again during lockdown to try and ensure everyone feels very well cared for.”
• “Strong Perks Program overall. Generally, HS set a high bar for employee wellness programs.”
• “Very comprehensive and useful! Gives me everything I need and more. Perks are amazing.”

Headspace is also offering perks for other companies during Covid. The website explains that they made a selection of meditations and exercises free for all employers and their employees:

“It’s our small way of helping you and your workplace approach every day with compassion and understanding, as you look to keep your business as healthy and happy as possible.”

Prioritizing mental health

As more companies move toward expansive wellness benefits, mental health is taking on even more importance in the new world of Covid-19.

No matter which company you work for, make sure to take advantage of mental health apps like Headspace,Simple Habit, Smiling Mind and more.