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Managers are at the center of the employee experience. They guide workloads, shape team dynamics, and serve as the primary link between staff and the broader organization. Yet mental health training for managers is often overlooked.

Providing leaders with dedicated mental health training is not just another wellness initiative; it is a strategic investment that multiplies the impact of your entire benefits program and cultivates a resilient, high-performing culture.

When managers are equipped to support their teams’ well-being, the positive effects ripple across the organization. Spring Health explains how managers can become catalysts for psychological safety, driving higher engagement with mental health benefits and fostering an environment where employees can thrive.

The manager’s critical role in employee well-being

Managers have a direct and significant influence on their team’s mental health. In fact, research shows that managers can impact an employee’s mental health as much as their spouse or partner.

A well-trained, empathetic leader can be a crucial first line of support for your employees. Without proper guidance, even the most well-intentioned managers may:

• Struggle to identify team members in distress.
• Inadvertently create environments that worsen anxiety and burnout.

There is a need for managers to be able to better support employees and reduce burnout in the workplace. The American Psychological Association’s 2025 “Stress in America” report found that 69% of adults said they needed more emotional support in the prior year than they got. The study also showed that work was a significant stressor for 69% of respondents.

By empowering leaders with the right skills, you enable them to:

• Build trust.
• Model healthy behaviors.
• Connect employees with the resources they need, precisely when they need them.

This proactive approach helps prevent minor issues from escalating into major crises, ultimately reducing absenteeism, turnover, and associated costs.

Key skills that transform managers into mental health allies

Effective mental health training for managers goes beyond basic awareness. It focuses on developing practical, actionable skills that leaders can apply daily. Three core competencies are essential for creating a supportive team environment.

1. Recognizing the signs of distress

Many employees hesitate to disclose mental health challenges due to fear of stigma or negative career repercussions. Well-trained managers can learn to recognize subtle behavioral changes that may indicate an employee is struggling. These signs can include

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President Trump has teased a plan to ban large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes. In a Truth Social post, he noted the American Dream is increasingly out of reach for many Americans. The policy is far from finalized, but the proposal raises important questions about market dynamics, affordability, and buyer opportunities.

“We know that investors of all sizes have been highly active in the entry-level segment. If this activity dries up, local demand could certainly soften,” says Ali Wolf, chief economist at Zonda and NewHomeSource, a new home listings site with customer reviews. “Conversely, we might see ‘missing’ traditional buyers, those who have been sidelined by competition, reenter the market once they feel they have a less crowded path to homeownership.”

An analysis by NewHomeSource parent company Zonda takes a look at which markets would be most impacted by a ban and what buyer segments could benefit the most from a ban.

How Large Is the Investor Footprint?

Investor activity ranges from 15% to 30% of home purchases in any given year. The larger institutional players are often most targeted in discussions like President Trump’s proposed ban, but these buyers represent just 1% to 5% of purchases. The overwhelming majority of investors’ transactions are “mom-and-pop” buyers, suggesting a blanket ban on large institutions may not unlock a significant increase in housing stock for sidelined buyers.

Is the Timing Right?

While the logic behind a ban on single-family purchases by investors is sound—fewer of these buyers increases opportunities for first-time buyers and sidelined buyers—the timing of the proposal seems misplaced.

There was a frenzy of investor purchases during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic due to cheap capital, low interest rates, and attractive returns. Institutional investors and smaller “mom-and-pop” operations capitalized on the market between 2020 and 2022 to purchase investment properties, Airbnbs, and second homes.

Today, the housing landscape and environment have shifted meaningfully. Higher borrowing costs, elevated prices, and alternative investment opportunities have reduced investor participation.

What Markets Could Be Most Affected?

Nationally, the impact on pricing and housing demand from the proposed demand is expected to be minimal. However, on a local market level, areas with strong investor activity—Tampa, Florida; Phoenix; and Las Vegas—could experience shifts in local market dynamics more significant than on the national level.

A caveat to note, though, is that investors typically purchase homes that struggle to attract traditional buyers, rehabilitating properties, and then reintroducing them to the market.

Who Could Stand to

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Medicare provides coverage for essential medical services for millions of Americans. From lab tests to physician visits, this health insurance program helps people 65 and older, as well as certain younger individuals with disabilities or specific medical conditions, afford healthcare costs.

However, despite the rise in Medicare spending — which reached over $1,029.8 billion in 2023 — the program still doesn’t cover all healthcare expenses. So you’ll need to plan ahead to determine how you’ll pay for services and supplies that Medicare doesn’t cover.

What services and supplies are not covered by original Medicare (Parts A and B)?

Medicare covers a wide range of services, including mental health support and assistance with managing conditions such as diabetes. But it doesn’t cover all healthcare needs. In this article, GoodRx, a platform for medication savings, outlines 10 things not covered by Medicare — and a few ways to pay for them.

Key takeaways:

• Medicare is a federal health insurance program that covers a range of supplies and services for eligible individuals 65 or older, as well as certain younger individuals with disabilities or specific medical conditions.
• Medicare doesn’t cover supplies and services that aren’t considered medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery. The program also doesn’t cover long-term care or most dental services.
• You can visit the Medicare website, review your “Medicare & You” handbook, or call the agency directly to get a better idea of what’s covered.

1. Most dental care

Of the more than 36 million Americans who have lost all their natural teeth, the vast majority of them use dentures. Unfortunately, original Medicare — Part A and Part B — does not cover major dental equipment and procedures, such as dentures and root canals, which can cost thousands of dollars. The program also doesn’t cover routine dental checkups, cleanings, or X-rays. 

Medicare will pay only for dental procedures that are deemed medically necessary and connected to the treatment for a larger health issue, such as certain types of jaw reconstruction surgery. To save on dental care services not covered by Medicare, you can:

• Consider signing up for a dental savings plan.
• Use the tax-advantaged funds in a health savings account (HSA) or flexible savings acco

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Organizational change can unsettle even the strongest teams. For employees, it often brings uncertainty, disruption, and a need for clarity. How leaders listen and respond during these times can make or break the success of the transition.

New research from TalentLMS and WorkTango reveals that many companies still aren’t doing enough to collect employee feedback during change, let alone act on it. And that gap is costing them trust, momentum, and engagement. This article from WorkTango breaks down what the data shows, where most organizations are falling short, and how to respond to employee feedback intentionally to drive better change outcomes.

Why collecting employee feedback during change is essential

There are many ways to gather employee feedback during change, but not all approaches offer the same level of insight. When it comes to collecting honest, actionable input at scale, employee surveys remain one of the most effective tools. But the research with TalentLMS shows that too many organizations still aren’t collecting employee feedback effectively:

• 46% of employees said they were never asked how organizational change was affecting them.
• 40% of employees said their organization only occasionally asked for their feedback during change.
• 42% said their organization didn’t provide any opportunity to share feedback at all.

WorkTango

This data points to a broader issue: Too many employees are being excluded from the change process entirely. That means organizations are missing critical insight into what their employees need, what’s getting in the way, and how to provide the right support. That’s why having an employee survey strategy in place during organizational change is a key step in identifying those needs early. It helps you respond with clarity and intention.

What this means is if you’re not asking, you’re guessing. And when it comes to change, that guesswork shows up in missed signals, disengaged employees, and slower progress. But using employee surveys to collect feedback is just the start. What happens next is what determines whether that feedback drives real results during change.

The disconnect between collecting

* WHAT…Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph common.
Local gusts to 45 mph in the mountains and hills.

* WHERE…Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Susana Mountains, Southeastern
Ventura County Valleys, and Western San Gabriel Mountains and
Highway 14 Corridor.

* WHEN…Until 2 PM PST this afternoon.

* IMPACTS…Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree
limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.

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