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Imagine getting home after a long day at work and being unsure if you can afford to buy food for dinner. For some employees, “home” might even be their car.
Consider how it might feel to constantly worry about whether you’ll be able to pay rent, repeatedly calculating costs on pieces of paper throughout the work day, trying to make the math work.
Imagine struggling with your mental health and not speaking to another person for days, feeling completely alone.
These snapshots are a true slice of reality for many people, including those who work for your organization. Almost half of adults, across incomes, have at least one unmet essential need.
Addressing essential needs is an overlooked workplace issue
Contrary to common belief, employment doesn't always ensure essential needs are met. For many employees, additional factors—also known as the social determinants of health (SDOH)—play a significant role.
Unmet needs often result from health disparities, costing the U.S. $473 billion in excess medical spending this year. Individuals with unmet essential needs are:
- 2.5 times more likely to report poor physical health and go without needed healthcare
- Over five times more likely to report mental health challenges
- More than twice as likely to report higher healthcare utilization
- More than 2.4 times more likely to miss six-plus days of work in the past year
There’s a clear connection between the environments and conditions in which people live, health equity, and employee well-being. What impact do unmet needs have on your workplace?
Understanding the social determinants of health
The social determinants of health (SDOH) are a powerful, well-established concept that describes how our environments shape our well-being. They profoundly influence health outcomes, quality of life, daily functioning, and exposure to health risks.
Research suggests that up to 80% of health outcomes are shaped by social determinants of health—factors largely outside the traditional healthcare system.
Social determinants of health fall into five core categories:
- Economic stability
- Education access and quality
- Healthcare access and quality
- Neighborhood and built environment
- Social and community context
Someone who lives in a polluted environment without access to quality food or healthcare doesn’t have the same starting point for optimal health and wellbeing as someone who has access to great healthcare, education, and a strong community.
What does this look like in your workforce? Can you identify employees who may be silently struggling in these areas?
The lived realities of people with unmet needs
When we think about whether a person’s essential needs are met—food, housing, and transportation—we might ask some of the following questions:
- Are they able to get enough healthy food?
- Do they have a stable place to live?
- Can they get to work, the doctor, and the grocery store?
- Can they afford childcare?
People’s needs also include social connection, so we might ask:
- Do they have healthy relationships with family and friends?
- How much time are they spending alone?
Isolation has risks similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day and is associated with higher risks of dementia, cardiovascular disease, and premature death.
When employees struggle with one or more SDOH-related factors, it can manifest in their mental health, physical health, and productivity.
Essential needs and health outcomes: the connection is clear
More than 45% of healthcare consumers experience at least one unmet essential need. People with chronic mental and/or physical health conditions and unmet needs experience higher healthcare utilization and worse clinical outcomes.
An employee managing diabetes and anxiety is more likely to experience adverse outcomes if they don’t have stable housing, can’t afford healthy food, or live in a polluted environment. The social determinants of health don't just shape clinical outcomes—they shape the daily reality of your workforce.
Taking action: How employers can help address the SDOH
A holistic approach to employee wellbeing that actively addresses the social determinants of health can make a significant impact.
What might this look like in practice? An employer with a comprehensive mental health solution might:
- Screen for social needs such as food insecurity, housing, and social support
- Share assessment results with the employee's care team
- Provide tailored local resource recommendations
- Offer access to 500,000+ community-vetted support options
- Report on resource utilization and outcomes
- Analyze correlations between meeting essential needs and key business metrics like absenteeism and productivity
Embedding workplace care teams can be another powerful strategy. For example, Community Care Advocates (licensed professionals with social work experience) can:
- Assess employees’ social needs
- Connect them with employer benefits and community resources
- Provide virtual or in-person support
- Help determine eligibility for local programs
These advocates play a crucial role in supporting employees navigating complex, emotionally charged situations.
The ROI of addressing social determinants of health
Addressing SDOH doesn’t just improve individual health outcomes—it reduces overall healthcare costs, improves retention, and enhances productivity.
A peer-reviewed study published in JAMA Network Open found that investing in precision mental health solutions like Spring Health resulted in a 14% reduction in physical health costs and $1,070 in net savings per participant in the first year.
Building health equity by strengthening community
Helping employees meet their essential needs creates a ripple effect: improved health, reduced absenteeism, better morale, and lower healthcare costs.
When employers address the social determinants of health, they aren’t just doing the right thing—they’re making a strategic investment in the resilience and sustainability of their workforce.
Explore how Spring Health addresses the social determinants of health to drive better outcomes for your employees—and your organization.
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