Workplace therapy and mental support is evolving fast. Gone are the days when a simple Employee Assistance Program or a few yoga sessions were enough. Today’s workers expect – and deserve – real support.
A 2025 survey by Unmind, with 5,000 employees, HR leaders, and executives, found that 84% believe companies should offer workplace therapy or coaching.
In this guide, we will break it all down—what workplace therapy is, why it matters, how it works, and how your company can make it happen.
What is Workplace Therapy?
Workplace therapy is a way for employees to get private, one-on-one support for their mental health through their company.
Life and work can be stressful, and sometimes, personal or job-related struggles make it hard to focus and perform well. By offering therapy, counseling, or coaching, companies can give employees the tools to manage stress, build confidence, and improve their well-being.
This support can help with everything from anxiety and burnout to relationship struggles and career growth. When employees feel heard and supported, they work better, stay motivated, and reach their full potential.
In short, workplace therapy isn’t just good for employees—it’s great for businesses too. A happy, healthy team leads to a stronger, more successful company.
Why Do We Require Workplace Therapy?
In 2022, about 23% of U.S. adults had a mental illness—that’s nearly 60 million people.
But getting help isn’t easy. Around 122 million Americans live in places with too few mental health professionals. In the UK, over 1 million people are stuck on waiting lists for mental health services.
You might think this is a problem for doctors, not workplaces. But when employees struggle without support, businesses feel the impact too.
Without proper care, companies see more sick days, lower productivity, and more people quitting their jobs.
Mental health is now the top reason employees miss work long-term, costing businesses a shocking $47.6 billion every year. It’s clear—supporting mental health isn’t just kind, it’s smart business.
Advantages of Workplace Therapy
For Employees
Therapy and coaching can make a big difference in both work and personal life.
A study of Unmind members found that workplace therapy helped people feel much better, especially with anxiety and depression.
In fact, 78% of employees saw major improvement in their depression symptoms after attending seven or more therapy sessions.
But therapy isn’t just for those in crisis—it can help anyone. It teaches better ways to manage stress, build stronger relationships, and handle life’s ups and downs.
Workplace therapy gives people the tools to feel happier, healthier, and more confident, both at work and beyond.
For Organizations
Good mental health leads to better work—for both employees and businesses.
A study by Unmind found that therapy and coaching boost productivity. Employees who had seven or more sessions saw their productivity rise by 15%, saving companies an average of $6,565 per worker each year.
The research also revealed that firms providing therapy combined with digital self-help materials received a great return on investment—4.6 times their investment. With 81 percent of workers today seeking mental health support from employers, workplace therapy can help a business attract and retain top talent.
Various Types of Workplace Therapy
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
Employee Assistance Programs have been in existence for a long time, providing counseling and crisis intervention. Many companies still use them today. However, as the mental health needs evolve, EAPs do not actually meet what their employees want and expect of them.
In the Unmind 2025 Workplace Mental Health Trends survey, it was reported that 34% of respondents have come to the opinion that EAPs are no longer useful. The one big problem with EAPs is the one-size-fits-all approach in which one approach doesn’t fit all employees. Their other concerns include long wait times, confusing phone systems, and limited choices in therapists.
Because of these problems, fewer than 5% of employees actually use EAPs, even though mental health needs are rising.
EAPs still help in emergencies, but more companies now see the need for better, easier-to-use mental health support.
In-house Counseling
Some companies hire or work with their own mental health professionals to support employees.
This can be a great option for businesses that want therapists or counselors who truly understand their workplace culture and challenges. It also makes it easier to offer quick help in a crisis and connect with HR support.
However, this option can be expensive and may not work well for big companies with lots of employees.
For small, close-knit teams that are willing to invest in mental health, having in-house support can be a smart and helpful choice.
Specialized Digital Solutions
Because of the internet, workplace therapy is now digital, thus making it easy for employees to get mental health support. New platforms like Unmind bring the best of both worlds together, integrating the extensive reach of traditional EAPs and the personal touch of in-house counseling. With Unmind, employees can access therapists and coaches from across the globe and connect with a network of self-help tools and AI coaching.
The biggest change is all about choice and convenience. People can get support in the way that works best for them—through messaging, video calls, or even relaxing with meditations and calming sounds.
Difference Between Therapy, Coaching and Counseling
Therapy and counseling help individuals with their psychology and personal development, but differ from coaching. Therapy helps one heal and progress. It allows individuals to progress from past trauma to emotional understanding and handling mental health conditions. Licensed therapists use a variety of approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), for instance, to help people be better.
Coaching is more about the future. It helps people set goals, build confidence, and improve their personal or work life. Coaches don’t treat mental health issues but use psychology to guide people toward success.
Counseling sits in the middle. It gives short-term support for life challenges, helping people cope and make good decisions.
These approaches are starting to blend. Therapy now includes goal-setting, and coaching uses science-backed methods to help people grow.
What matters most is that employees can choose the support that fits their needs best.
Ways To Implement A Workplace Therapy Programme
To create a successful workplace therapy program, start by understanding what your employees really need. Here’s how to build a program that works for your company:
Begin with a needs assessment
Before jumping into solutions, take time to learn about your company’s mental health needs. You can do this by running an anonymous survey to find out:
- What mental health challenges employees are facing
- What type of support they would find most helpful
- What might stop them from asking for help
- How they’d prefer to access support
Also, look at your current data. Check things like absence rates, EAP usage (if you have one), and feedback from past wellness programs. This will help you see where there are problems and where you need to focus.
Select The Right Provider
Once you know what your employees need, it’s time to find the right support providers. Here’s what to look for:
Keep it simple: The easier it is to get help, the more people will use it. Look for providers with simple booking systems and different ways to connect with therapists (like video, phone, or chat).
Offer choice: Everyone needs different types of support. The best providers offer many therapy styles and a variety of therapists so employees can find someone they feel comfortable with.
Maintain high standards: Make sure the therapists and coaches are qualified. Ask about their certifications and how they are trained.
Prioritize privacy: Confidentiality is key. Employees need to feel safe knowing their sessions are private, but you should still be able to get anonymous data to measure how well the program is working.
Also, choose a provider that uses proven methods, and ask how they track and improve the results.
Track what is working
Once your program is up and running, keep track of how it’s working. Here are some important things to watch:
Usage rates:
- How many employees are using therapy?
- Are certain teams or groups using it more than others?
- What times are most people choosing for sessions?
Feedback and results:
- Ask for anonymous surveys after sessions to see how happy employees are.
- Look at changes in employee well-being scores (if you track these).
- Check if there are fewer sick days or more productivity.
- See if employees would recommend the service to others.
Provider performance:
- How long does it take to get the first appointment?
- How many people finish their sessions?
- Are the reports and insights after each session helpful?
- How quickly does the provider respond to feedback or problems?
Conclusion
Workplace therapy is no longer just a nice extra—it’s as important as having a good computer or a comfortable chair. The facts are clear: companies that focus on their employees’ mental health create better work environments and see real benefits.
The best part? Everyone wins. Your team receives professional support to enable them to perform at their best in work and personal life. Your company enjoys a happy and productive workforce. And you create a workplace culture that says, “It’s okay not to be okay,” and “We are here to help.” Are you considering workplace therapy? The market, no matter whether it is a small startup or one of the world’s biggest companies, offers a solution for you that fits your budget. This is all about taking that first step toward supporting your team’s mental health.
Remember, in a world where 81% of workers want employers who support mental health, offering therapy isn’t just great for people—it’s great for business. And that’s worth investing in.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is workplace therapy?
Workplace therapy is an employee assistance program that offers individual, confidential counseling on mental health issues through one’s company. It helps in stress management and building resilience while improving overall wellness at work and in personal life.
Why is workplace therapy important?
It impacts the employees as well as the business. The workplace therapy will help reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and help employees cope with stress, anxiety, and other issues to make a more engaged and healthy workforce.
How does workplace therapy benefit employees?
This makes workers better handle their personal and work issues. It encourages mental health improvement and decreases anxiety and depressive episode events. This would enhance overall productivity and productivity at work.
What is the difference between therapy, coaching, and counseling?
Therapy is to treat mental illness and past traumas, whereas coaching helps one set personal and professional goals for growth. Counseling is a form of short-term support for dealing with specific life challenges. All three help to improve mental health but through different approaches.
