In a normal year, up to one-third of new parents will suffer from some level of postpartum depression or anxiety, but the pandemic has dramatically increased these conditions—and their costs. During this past year, almost three times as many new moms have experienced postpartum depression and a whopping 72% have struggled with anxiety.
Not only is postpartum depression (PPD) debilitating to women—it’s expensive for employers. At best, untreated PPD can cost an employer around $6,223 in lost productivity. Worse, if new moms suffering from depression and anxiety can’t return to work at all, the average cost to replace these employees is typically 150% of their salaries. For a person making $50,000 per year, that translates to $75,000 in unexpected costs.
The good news is that educating new parents before and after childbirth is proven to reduce stress. And providing new-parent support groups can decrease depression in new moms, especially for those who feel isolated after childbirth—a common condition for those with young babies that’s been made even worse by pandemic social distancing.
Do you want to help new parents in your workforce reduce depression and stay productive? Schedule a chat with us today to see how easy it is to add parenting support to your benefits package.