Employers are looking to increase mental health resources available to employees in 2026, according to Mercer’s “Survey on Health & Benefit Strategies for 2026.”
The consulting firm surveyed 504 organizations with more than 500 employees about their 2026 benefit strategies.
Here are five things to know about how employers are approaching behavioral health benefits for 2026:
- More than 1 in 3 employers — 35% — plan to offer onsite counseling services in 2026, up from 29% in 2025.
- Employers are increasing the number of counseling sessions available to employees through employee assistance programs. Currently, the median number of sessions offered to employees is six, up from the typical model of three to five sessions, according to Mercer.
- Around a one-third of employers plan to offer coaching or therapy via text in 2025.
- A small number of employers — 7% — plan to offer artificial intelligence chatbot therapy or coaching to their employees in 2026.
- Digital resources remain a major part of employers’ behavioral health strategy, according to Mercer. In 2026, more than three-quarters of employers plan to offer digital resources for stress management and resiliency to employees.
Read the full report here.
