Impact of evidence-based psychotherapy on employee retention

Objectives

To examine the relationship between mental health treatment and employee retention.

Study Design

Retrospective Cohort Study

Methods

14 companies (184,715 employees) were studied evaluating retention among individuals who used an evidence-based mental health benefit. Among three companies who provided health plan claims (n=24,947), we compared 1,966 employees who used the evidence-based mental health benefit and 1,063 who had usual care. Survival analysis was used to compare the probability of staying at the company for the two cohorts. Cox Proportional Hazards Models were used to evaluate the hazard ratio of leaving the company for those who used the evidence-based mental health benefit versus usual care.

Results

Among 14 companies (184,715 employees) with the evidence-based mental health benefit, 11% who used the evidence-based mental health benefit left the company within 12 months, compared to 22% of those who did not. Among three companies who provided health plan claims, 12 month rates of employee turnover were 7% for the evidence-based mental health benefit versus 15% for health plan psychotherapy (p<0.005). Among the subgroup of employees with an anxiety diagnosis, the relative risk of employees leaving the company was 27% lower among those who used the evidence-based mental health benefit versus usual care (p=0.03).

Limitations

Employees have the option to choose between the evidence-based mental health benefit and usual care so we are not able to account for immeasurable differences between the two groups.

Conclusions

Use of an evidence-based mental health benefit over health plan mental health care (usual care) is associated with lower employee turnover.