Workplace therapy: Everything you need to know

The landscape of workplace mental health support is changing fast. 

Gone are the days when companies could tick the wellbeing box with a basic Employee Assistance Program and a few yoga classes. Today's employees expect – and deserve – much more. 

Unmind's 2025 survey of 5,000 employees, HR leaders and C-Suite execs reveals that 84% believe it's important for organizations to offer workplace therapy or coaching.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about workplace therapy: what it is, why it’s needed, how it works, and what it could look like within your organization. 

In a nutshell, workplace therapy gives employees access to confidential, one-on-one mental health support through the company. 

By providing professional therapy, counseling or coaching, organizations can help employees tackle both personal and work-related challenges that might be affecting their ability to perform their best and fulfill their potential. 

In 2022, 23% of US adults experienced a mental illness – that’s almost 60 million people. 

But access to support remains a challenge – an estimated 122 million Americans live in areas with a shortage of mental health care providers, while over 1 million people in the UK are waiting for mental health services.

You might be thinking this is an issue for healthcare providers rather than employers. But the fact is that a lack of mental health support doesn’t just impact individuals, it affects businesses too. 

Without proper support for employees, organizations face increased absenteeism, reduced productivity and higher turnover rates. 

Mental health is now the leading cause of long-term employee absence – a staggering $47.6 billion is lost annually in missed workdays.

For employees

Therapy and coaching can be transformative for both people’s personal and work lives. I

Analysis of Unmind member data found that workplace therapy significantly improved people’s symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

78% of employees experienced significant improvement in depression symptoms after completing seven or more therapy sessions. 

And workplace therapy isn’t just for people at crisis point – it can help all of us to better handle stress, find connection, and navigate the challenges of work and life. 

For organizations

We know that better mental health means better performance – for the individual, and the organization. 

A study by Unmind showed that professional therapy and coaching significantly improves productivity. 

People who completed seven or more therapy or coaching sessions reported a 15% increase in productivity, translating to an optimized wage spend of $6,565 per employee annually.

The same study also found that organizations with a comprehensive mental health support system, combining therapy with digital self-help content saw a return on investment (ROI) of 4.6x. 

With 81% of workers now seeking mental health support from their employer, offering workplace therapy can also give an organizaiton a competitive advantage in terms of talent attraction and retention. 

To better understand the impact of mental health support on organizations, download Unmind’s report, The Power of Therapy: How coaching and therapy drive workplace mental health.

1. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

EAPs typically offer counseling and crisis support. They have long been the default mental health solution and many organizations continue to use them today. 

But with such a rapidly evolving mental health landscape, EAPs are often out of step with what modern employees need and expect. 

In Unmind’s 2025 Workplace Mental Health Trends survey, 34% of respondents said that EAPs are no longer relevant.

EAPs typically offer a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn't account for individual needs or preferences. Employees also report barriers to getting the support they need, like complicated phone systems, long waiting times, and limited choice in therapists. 

These challenges are reflected in usage rates: despite rising mental health needs, EAP utilization rarely exceeds 5% of employees. 

While EAPs still serve an important purpose, particularly for crisis support, many organizations are recognizing the need for more sophisticated, accessible solutions that better meet the expectations of today's workforce.

2. In-house counseling

Some organizations choose to employ or contract dedicated mental health professionals for their employees.

This in-house approach can be great for organizations who feel they would benefit from therapists or counsellors who understand their organization’s specific culture or challenges. It can also be easier to respond in crisis situations, and to integrate with your existing HR processes.

But this approach isn’t cheap, and is likely to be impractical for larger organizations. It can be a great choice for small, close-knit businesses who are ready to really invest in mental health.

3. Specialized digital solutions

Today's workplace therapy has gone digital, and it's changing how people access mental health support at work. 

Modern workplace therapy platforms, like Unmind, combine the scalability of a traditional EAP with the personalisation of in-house counseling, giving employees access to a global network of therapists and coaches, alongside self-serve mental health content and AI coaching. 

The real shift here is about accessibility and choice. Employees can find support in whatever way works best for them – whether that's through messaging, video calls, or dedicating personal time to wellbeing with meditations and soundscapes.

Therapy, coaching, and counselling are distinct but overlapping approaches to supporting mental health, wellbeing and personal development.

Therapy traditionally focuses on treating mental health conditions and processing past trauma, helping clients understand deep-rooted emotional patterns and psychological challenges. It's typically provided by licensed mental health professionals who can assess and treat mental health disorders. And there are all kinds of different approaches under the therapy umbrella – such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

Coaching is more future-oriented, focusing on achieving specific goals or enhancing personal or professional performance. Coaches help clients identify strengths, develop action plans, and create positive change, often incorporating psychological principles without diagnosing or treating mental health issues.

Counselling often bridges these approaches, providing short-term support for specific life challenges or decisions. Counsellors offer guidance and emotional support while helping clients develop coping strategies and self-awareness.

However, these boundaries are increasingly blurring.

Modern therapy often incorporates goal-setting and performance enhancement techniques, while coaching has become more psychologically sophisticated, drawing on neuroscience and cognitive-behavioral approaches.

This evolution reflects growing recognition that mental health, emotional wellbeing, and personal growth are interconnected, leading to more holistic approaches to human development.

What's important is that employees are supported to make an informed choice that meets their needs.

Getting workplace therapy right starts with understanding what your people actually need. Here's how to build a programme that truly works for your organization:

1. Start with a needs assessment

Before diving into solutions, take time to understand your organization's specific mental health landscape. Run an anonymous survey to gather insights about:

• Current mental health challenges employees are facing
• What kind of support they'd find most helpful
• Barriers that might stop them from seeking help
• Preferences for how they'd like to access support

Don't forget to look at your existing data too. Check your absence rates, EAP usage (if you have one), and any feedback from previous wellbeing initiatives. This will help you spot patterns and pain points that need addressing.

2. Choose the right provider

With a clear picture of what your people need, you can start exploring providers. Look for partners who:

Keep it simple: The easier it is to access support, the more likely people are to use it. Look for straightforward booking processes and multiple ways to connect with therapists (video, phone, chat).

Offer choice: Everyone's different when it comes to mental health. The best providers offer various therapy styles and a diverse network of therapists. This helps employees find someone they click with.

Maintain high standards: Check the qualifications and accreditations of the therapy network. Ask about the requirements to become a therapist or coach. 

Prioritize privacy: Clear confidentiality policies are non-negotiable. Employees need to trust that their sessions are private, while you still get the anonymous data needed to assess the programme's impact.

You could add in here about choosing a provider that offers evidence based approaches that are proven to have a meaningful impact. Ask about how they measure and improve outcomes.

3. Track what's working

Once your programme is up and running, keep a close eye on how it's performing. Good metrics to track include:

Usage rates:

• How many employees are accessing therapy?
• Are certain departments or demographics using it more than others?
• What times of day/week are most popular for sessions?

Feedback and outcomes:

• Anonymous satisfaction surveys after therapy sessions
• Improvements in wellbeing scores (if you measure these)
• Changes in absence rates and productivity
• Whether employees would recommend the service to colleagues

Provider performance:

• Average wait times for first appointments
• Session completion rates
• Quality of post-session reports and insights
• Responsiveness to feedback and issues

Workplace therapy isn't just another employee perk – it's becoming as essential as having a decent computer or a comfortable chair. The evidence is clear: companies that invest in their team's mental health create better places to work and see real business benefits.

The best part? Everyone wins. Your team gets access to professional support that helps them thrive both at work and in life. Your company benefits from a more engaged, productive workforce. And together, you're creating a workplace culture that says "it's okay to not be okay" - and more importantly, "we're here to help."

Looking to get started with workplace therapy? Whether you're a small startup or a large corporation, there's a solution out there that fits your needs and budget. The most important thing is taking that first step toward better mental health support for your team.

Remember: in a world where 81% of workers actively seek employers who support mental health, offering workplace therapy isn't just good for people – it's good for business too. And that's something worth investing in.

Want to learn more about how workplace therapy could work for your organization? Get in touch with us at Unmind to explore how we can help your team thrive.