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Mental health benefits remain largely unused due to outreach gaps
A Lincoln Financial and IBI survey of 1,503 US call center workers found only 44% view current mental health outreach as effective.
More than 75% of call center employees report they have access to mental health benefits through their employer, but fewer than half say they have personally used them, according to new research from Lincoln Financial and the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI), published as a whitepaper. The study, based on a cross-sectional survey of 1,503 US-based call center employees conducted in March 2025, examined access to benefits, workplace support, mental health and well-being. It was focused on call center settings because of factors linked to high occupational stress, including performance monitoring, frequent emotionally demanding customer interactions, and limited autonomy. Among respondents, one in three reported experiencing frequent or chronic stress, while only 18% said they rarely feel stressed. For those who had not used their mental health benefits, 59% said they did not need them, 26% cited lack of time, and 15% pointed to stigma.
The researchers also highlighted an awareness and communication problem, with 44% of call center employees saying current outreach is effective and 32% saying communications need to improve. The whitepaper points to an additional gap described by SHRM's May 2024 guide, which found 67% of employees are unaware of their company’s mental health resources or only somewhat aware, and notes women reported lower perceived mental health than men.