Providing healthcare benefits is an integral part of the employer-employee contract. So, employers continue to invest heavily in this benefit despite increasing costs. If this is the case, why have we yet to see growth in the onsite health clinic industry?

According to theU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of providing healthcare benefits now equates to about one-third of an employee's total compensation (with wages accounting for the remaining two-thirds). Yet even at this level of investment, many employers find that the current healthcare system isn’t meeting employees’ needs because:

• Appointments are hard to find, with some specialties booking out months in advance
• Doctors are stretched thin, and most have fewer than 20 minutes to spend with patients
• Employees are busy, too, and find it hard to prioritize their health when they’re balancing work, families, and life
• Coordinating care is complex and challenging to navigate by oneself – especially for certain health conditions

As a result, many employers feel frustrated by their current options and are looking for alternatives. One option is to move away from the traditional healthcare model to something more personalized, like an onsite health clinic.

When it comes to employee wellness, many mid-sized companies are surprised to learn that onsite employee health centers are a viable option for their business. It’s one of those well-being solutions that seems reserved for big companies with deep pockets.

We get it. Over the last decade, we’ve talked to hundreds of leaders who initially felt this way. They had a similar set of questions, including:

• Costs – What are the initial costs? What about ongoing expenses for staffing or supplies?
• Time and resources – Do we have the time, staff, expertise, or bandwidth? How does the planning, construction, and operation work?  
• Utilization – Will employees use the facility? Will it fully address their health needs?
• ROI – Can we measure the return on investment with hard data and clear metrics?

These questions are understandable, of course, because an onsite employee health center is a significant decision. Yet many mid-sized companies prematurely disqualify themselves from this unique benefit because they don’t know about some of its most important benefits.

Wondering about the state of employee mental health in the U.S.? In the simplest terms, it’s not good. In fact, in its 2022 State of Workforce Mental Health, Corporate Wellness Magazine found that 84% of workers surveyed experienced at least one mental health challenge over the past year.

This stark reality has many employers wondering how they can better support their teams. If you want to be known as an employer that values employee wellbeing and is taking steps to respond to the current mental health crisis, the following are three ways you can improve your employee mental health services.

Even for the most resilient among us, the last two years have been a lot to process. The pandemic was stressful enough, but it was joined by a recession, social and political unrest, the war in Ukraine, inflation, and more.

Mental health has come out of the shadows, if there’s a bright side to the lingering pandemic-related stress. Employees now talk openly about burnout, exhaustion, and mental health struggles – even while at work. And that’s a good thing when you consider that experts cite mental health as one of the driving forces behind the Great Resignation and the Great Reshuffle.

Welcome to the new era of employee mental health and wellbeing - we have some additional insight for you.

Even a quick scan of news headlines reminds us that our modern, fast-paced world is filled with stressors – and work is a significant contributor.

A recent survey by The Conference Board reveals that half of the workers report their mental health has deteriorated since the pandemic, with 58 percent citing increased work hours or workload as taking the most significant toll. And 84 percent of employees report they can’t stop thinking about work.

As the need for mental health support increases, more companies are looking for ways to address employees’ needs. Still, many companies – especially smaller and mid-sized – aren’t sure where to begin. As long-time partners to mid-sized companies, we’ve learned that this work doesn’t have to be complicated.

We believe you can significantly impact employee mental health support in the workplace by taking just a few steps.

We all know an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. But even the most committed among us may put off scheduling health care appointments for various reasons - enter the option of an onsite employee health and wellness center.  

For starters, health care is expensive, and costs continue to go up. (PwC's Health Research Institute projected a 6.5% medical cost trend in 2022.) Health insurance is a complex process and can require tremendous patience to navigate. Even after you’re insured, can be weeks before a primary care physician has an opening in their schedule. After all that, you may only get a few minutes with a doctor already juggling multiple patients in a busy family clinic. 

Not an ideal set of circumstances, especially if you have a chronic condition like high blood pressure, diabetes or anxiety.

Stressors like these have some mid-size companies considering whether to build their own onsite clinic for employees. While that may seem like a huge undertaking, it’s more common - and easier- than one might think. Partners like NeoPath work closely with companies like yours to create a game plan that will help you tackle everything from benefits structure, ownership structure, culture, retention strategy, physical space, and more.

Is cost management one of the primary benefits of this approach? Sure. Companies need to manage costs to continue offering their employees comprehensive health coverage. But the benefits of an onsite employee health and wellness center don’t end with costs. Let’s look at how employees, providers, and employers all benefit from onsite care.

Today’s employees want more than the usual suspects when it comes to employer-provided wellness programs. It’s no longer enough to offer self-guided smoking cessation video classes, send reminders about the employee assistance program or share monthly wellness tips in the all-employee newsletter. 

So what workplace wellness options work for employees today? Employees want and need employers to support every aspect of their well-being – physical, mental, emotional, and financial. As a result, many employers are taking a fresh look at their workplace wellness programs and adding more specialized programming that takes a more whole-being approach. 

If you’re an employer that wants to enhance your workplace wellness programs in 2022 or beyond, the following are five options to consider.

Anxiety. Depression. Post-traumatic stress disorder. ADHD. 

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five U.S. adults experienced some form of mental illness in 2020. That means 53 million Americans had to figure out how to balance their mental health challenges along with other important aspects of life, including their jobs. Employee mental services are becoming more apparent that it shouldn’t be an option; it needs to be a priority. 

As a result, 90% of employers say they’re investing more in mental health programs, and 66% of companies are making changes to better support mental well-being.

Together, we’ll explore a new option for offering employee mental health services and describe how supporting your employees in this way leads to myriad business advantages, including talent attraction.

Answer your questions around planning, financing and staffing a near-site or onsite clinic for your company.

If you’re reading this guide, you probably have a clear picture of the benefits of opening an onsite clinic for your company. From cost savings to proven health benefits, opening your own clinic unlocks untapped power in your workforce, enhancing the productivity, safety, engagement and culture within your organization.

But how do you get started?

NeoPath Health is committed to reducing health disparities for tribal communities by working with tribes to implement managed onsite and near-site clinics. NeoPath’s onsite clinics provide culturally-sensitive health and wellness services with pharmacy, lab, imaging, acute care, and primary care all located onsite.