Changes in Work Impairment and Associated Cost Savings Among Employees (November 2025)-Changes in Work Impairment and Associated Cost Savings Among Employees

Changes in Work Impairment and Associated Cost Savings Among Employees

Pdf Summary

This retrospective cohort study evaluated changes in work impairment and related cost savings among 5,450 U.S. employees who received psychotherapy through an employer-sponsored, evidence-based blended care program combining live video therapy with digital tools. Participants exhibited diverse clinical needs—including depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, and relationship issues—spanning a spectrum of baseline work impairment severity measured by the Lam Employment Absence and Productivity Scale (LEAPS).<br /><br />Results demonstrated significant reductions in work impairment (average LEAPS score decrease of 2.88 points, medium effect size) and lost productive time (LPT) with an average gain of 4 hours of productive work per week (36% reduction in LPT). Larger baseline impairments correlated with greater gains; for example, participants with very severe baseline impairment showed a 10.34-point LEAPS decrease and gained 17.38 productive hours weekly. Over a 12-month period, these improvements translated into estimated employer cost savings ranging from approximately $3,316 to $20,882 per employee annually at the U.S. median salary level, with savings increasing for higher baseline impairment and higher salaries. Cost savings were conservatively estimated using validated multi-item presenteeism and absenteeism measures, enhancing reliability over prior studies relying on cruder metrics.<br /><br />The study underscores that evidence-based psychotherapy delivered via integrated telehealth platforms can produce meaningful improvements in work functioning, especially among those with moderate to severe initial work impairment. These gains not only benefit employees’ mental health and broader life functioning but also generate substantial economic benefits for employers through reduced productivity losses. Although causality cannot be firmly established due to the observational design and self-reported data, findings align with randomized trials on depression interventions. The results support expanded adoption of comprehensive, employer-sponsored mental health benefits that provide scalable access to high-quality psychotherapy, with potential positive impacts on workforce productivity, employee retention, and healthcare spending.<br /><br />Limitations include lack of control groups, reliance on self-report for work hours, inability to assess long-term maintenance of gains, and absence of direct economic cost accounting for the intervention. Nonetheless, the large, diverse sample and validated measurement approach contribute to the study’s generalizability, indicating that effective psychotherapy can yield both clinical and financial advantages for working populations and their employers.

Keywords

retrospective cohort study

work impairment

cost savings

psychotherapy

employer-sponsored program

blended care

telehealth

Lam Employment Absence and Productivity Scale (LEAPS)

mental health benefits

productivity gains