Behavioral health support for millennials at work

Millennials make up the largest share of the U.S. workforce — accounting for more than a third of all employees.¹ Born between 1981 and 1996, this generation and their children are high utilizers of the health care system compared with other generations.² They also access the system differently — with more frequent use of emergency rooms, urgent care and virtual care, and fewer primary care visits.³

As they reach their peak earning and working years, millennials present both a challenge and an opportunity for employers to offer benefits strategies that resonate with them while keeping costs under control.

Millennials report high levels of emotional and financial stress.^4,5 Student debt, rising housing costs, childcare expenses and health care costs all weigh heavily on them. In addition, geopolitical tensions, inflation and even concerns about artificial intelligence replacing jobs add to their stress. Meanwhile, the unprecedented nonstop exposure to information through the 24-7 news cycle and social media creates even more to process.

What this means for employers is this crucial employee segment needs support for everyday life — and major life events — to stay engaged and productive and to continue performing at their best in the workplace.

Historically, traditional employee assistance programs (EAPs) were one-size-fits-all solutions focused primarily on physical health and personal or work-related crises, such as mental health concerns, substance use disorders or legal problems. Over time these programs have evolved to be more flexible and tailored to individuals’ unique needs. However, it’s only in recent years, as millennials have entered and grown into the largest workforce segment, that whole-person health — encompassing physical, emotional, mental, financial and social well-being — has become an expectation, if not yet a universally practiced norm.

The goal of whole-person health benefits programs is to support employees in whatever way necessary, so they can show up as their best selves at work and at home every day. With the right awareness, workplace culture and access to support, employers can make a meaningful and measurable difference in employees’ lives and their organizations’ long-term success. In fact, organizations that prioritize well-being report up to 20% higher productivity, lower absenteeism and 10% higher retention rates.⁶ They also strengthen their ability to attract top talent.

In real terms, millennials are reshaping how modern workplaces view and prioritize health and well-being. Compared to baby boomers and Gen Xers, they’re placing an even greater emphasis on work-life balance and putting well-being first.

For example, compared to their predecessors, millennials are more likely to see behavioral health as essential to overall well-being and address concerns — such as depression, anxiety, trauma, stress and neurodivergence — early on, rather than delaying until their symptoms escalate.

Another key difference is that millennials — and increasingly, the broader workforce with the arrival of Gen Z — expect support to be available whenever and wherever they need it. They typically prefer self-guided, tech-enabled options, such as:

• Mobile-friendly platforms
• Virtual visits
• Peer-to-peer chats
• Digital learning modules

They’re also more likely to switch jobs for employers who put well-being first and create an environment that empowers people taking ownership of their health.⁷

For forward-thinking employers, this creates a real opportunity. By aligning benefits with employee needs and providing flexible, accessible options, organizations can:

• Encourage earlier engagement
• Improve overall well-being
• Help prevent crises
• Retain talent
• Reduce absenteeism and long-term costs

At the same time, with employees turning to support earlier and for a wider range of needs, benefits utilization is increasing, especially in terms of behavioral health, pediatric and prenatal support. For example:

• Since the pandemic, behavioral health utilization has risen 35% for millennials and their children. Two-thirds of diagnoses are for anxiety, depression and trauma disorders.⁸
• Pediatric behavioral health use is at an all-time high, with anxiety and depression making up 28% of diagnoses, and neurodevelopmental, trauma, impulse control and other disorders making up the remainder.⁹
• Millennials and their children account for 41% of neurodevelopmental disorder claims. The most common are attention deficit disorder (43%) and autism spectrum disorders (35%).¹⁰
• For a variety of reasons, including finances, personal choice and career planning, many millennials are choosing to have children later in life. This is driving higher use of fertility treatments and pre- and postnatal care. Millennial pregnancy-related costs are 14% higher than Gen Z and 1% higher than Gen X.¹¹

These trends highlight the need for employers to provide millennials and their dependents the support they need. They also highlight why it’s more critical than ever to align benefits programs with evolving employee expectations through accessible, scalable and tech-enabled solutions, while managing costs effectively by encouraging early intervention, reducing crisis-driven care and addressing employee and dependent needs.

To help ensure your benefits strategy meets these evolving expectations, start by asking yourself these four key questions:

1. Are our benefits holistic and inclusive?

Consider whether your benefits support diverse family structures and populations. Make sure your services are mobile-friendly and easy to access when needed, including in the moment. Provide formal and informal ways for employees to feel invested in the programs and share input through surveys, focus groups or team meetings to be sure your strategy reflects what matters most to them.

2. Does our benefits strategy align with our employee needs?

As your workforce evolves, your benefits strategy likely will need to change too. Millennials are looking for organizations that offer support for day-to-day and overall well-being, including during times of heightened stress or major life events.

For example, this often involves providing self-care apps, engaging wellness challenges, mental health resources, flexible working arrangements and time-off policies, fertility and parental support and coaching or guided programs that address financial, emotional and physical well-being.

3. Does our culture support whole-person health?

Even the best benefits won’t matter if your employees don’t feel encouraged to use them. Culture needs to start at the top to be effective. Executives and managers should be role models for healthy behaviors, such as taking time off, respecting work hours and creating a safe environment for employees to do the same.

At an organizational level, this means providing leadership with the resources and training to support employees. When employees feel supported culturally, they engage with resources earlier, which helps prevent crises, improve productivity and manage costs.

4. Is our benefits plan producing positive metrics?

A successful benefits strategy balances employees’ needs with positive experiences and measurable outcomes. It’s important to track utilization, employee satisfaction and outcomes that demonstrate overall population-level well-being metrics, such as morale, absenteeism and turnover. This way, you can align your investments with the benefits employees value and use, optimizing their experience while boosting organizational success and managing costs.

Your return on investment should also reflect your organization’s reputation, culture and ability to attract and retain top talent.

By understanding how millennials engage with health and well-being, you can design benefits strategies that meet their immediate needs and foster a resilient, satisfied and high-performing workforce.

Employers and payers that provide integrated care, always-on digital access, behavioral health tools and policies that help reduce stigma aren’t just addressing a health issue; they’re investing in their workforce’s satisfaction, increasing retention and improving productivity.