Rise in mental health leaves of absence call for proactive measures

Following the emergence from the COVID-19-induced hybrid and remote work schedules for many companies, studies show that employees are missing work at a higher rate than normal. A recent study on paid leave reveals a growing trend in the frequency of workers missing work, something employers should be keeping an eye on.

ComPsych Corporation, a major provider of absence management services, announced that mental health-related leaves of absence jumped by a third in 2023. These findings continue a trend that has been continuing since 2017: ComPsych data shows that within the past six years, mental health-related leaves of absence have increased a shocking 300%.

“Our data shows that millennial and Gen X women are most likely to need a mental health related leave of absence,” said Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, Founder, CEO and Chairman of ComPsych. “HR teams must invest in resources and programming that relates to issues commonly faced by these demographics: from the pressures of managing teams, the stress of buying a home for the first time, acclimating back at work as a new parent, or worrying about care for aging relatives.”

Different demographics utilize their paid leave at different rates. The stark increase has primarily been noticed for female employees. Last year, about 7 in every 10 (69%) mental health related leaves of absence were taken by women. Of these, a third (33%) of these days were taken by millennial women. The next highest rated demographic that followed was Gen X women, who accounted for 30% of mental health related leaves.

Employers can proactively implement evaluations and surveys that help gain the upper hand on common paid leave contributors, such as burnout and overall job satisfaction. “It’s clear that proactively investing in employee mental health is a key strategy for HR teams trying to mitigate the cost and impact of employee leaves of absence,” concluded Chaifetz.

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