Despite widespread availability of employee assistance programs (EAPs), stigma and concerns over confidentiality are preventing many U.S. workers from accessing mental health support, according to Prudential Financial Inc.’s 2025 Benefits & Beyond study.
The report, titled New Workforce Expectations: Address Mental Health to Help Get Employees Needed Support, surveyed 2,946 full-time employees and 750 employers nationwide in January and February 2025. It found that nearly two-thirds of employees (63%) are concerned about mental health for themselves or their families. However, over half of workers with access to an EAP have never used it.
Key Findings
- Access vs. utilization – While 59% of employers report offering an EAP, 55% of employees have never used the program. Of these, 31% had a need for assistance but still did not seek services.
- Barriers to use – Top reasons for avoiding mental health resources include fear of negative consequences (40%), confidentiality concerns (38%), and worries about job security if taking mental health leave (38%).
- Awareness gap – Although employers believe they frequently promote EAPs, 22% of employees say they know little about the benefits, and 10% find them too complex.
- Impact on well-being – When satisfied with mental health resources, 79% of employees feel well-supported in managing stress. This number drops to 48% when programs fall short of expectations.
- Preferred support options – Beyond standard benefits, the most helpful offerings identified by both employers and employees include mental health days, flexible work schedules, and stress management programs.
Economic and Workplace Implications
The study cites Gallup data showing that employees experiencing mental health challenges miss four times more work than their peers, costing the U.S. economy $47.6 billion annually in lost productivity.
Research Overview
The Benefits & Beyond study is Prudential’s ongoing research into workforce trends and employer-employee dynamics. This installment focuses on the gap between mental health benefit availability and employee usage, highlighting factors that influence participation.
ABOUT PRUDENTIAL
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a global financial services leader and premier active global investment manager with approximately $1.6 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2025, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees help make lives better and create financial opportunity for more people by expanding access to investing, insurance, and retirement security. Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise, and innovation for 150 years.
Group Insurance coverages are issued by The Prudential Insurance Company of America, a Prudential Financial company, Newark, NJ.
*Agrawal, Sangeeta and Witters, Dan. “The Economic Cost of Poor Employee Mental Health.” Gallup Workplace. December 2022. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/404174/economic-cost-poor-employee-mental-health.aspx. Accessed June 2025.
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