“We have to recognize that employees who are coming through the door are likely in fight-or-flight.” Employers can try to improve mental health in the workplace by being intentional and being tuned into how workers are doing, Tugman said. That means recognizing when something seems off and checking in with the employee, rather than assuming it’s a performance issue. “If you’ve got an employee who has been late since day one, missed deadlines since day one, it’s probably a performance issue.” That becomes especially important, she said, as the mental health crisis worsens, exacerbated by rising healthcare costs and delayed care.