Employers across the country are investing heavily in mental health — but are those benefits actually working?

In this episode of IBI’s Research Roundup, we break down findings from the 2025 Mental Health Report: Mind the Gap, a new study based on responses from more than 1,200 full-time employees. The data reveals a critical truth: it’s not about access, it’s about utilization.

Employees who actively use mental health benefits show nearly 3x stronger links to wellbeing and productivity compared to those who only have access on paper. And when employees engage with six or more different benefits, the outcomes multiply — higher wellbeing, stronger psychological safety, and less presenteeism.

We explore:

• Which benefits deliver the biggest impact (hint: cultural supports outperform clinical services)
• How utilization patterns differ by gender, age, and parental status
• Why non-binary employees report some of the most concerning wellbeing scores
• How company size changes the equation for ROI
• Practical steps employers can take to drive engagement, awareness, and equity

The takeaway? A bigger benefits catalog isn’t the answer. Real change comes from building a culture where employees feel safe, supported, and encouraged to use the resources available to them.

👉 Download the full report at ibiweb.org.

In Episode 3 of the IBI Team Podcast Series, researcher Carole Bonner shares how she bridges academic rigor with real-world business needs. From data modeling and design to grandkids and graphic storytelling, Carole reflects on the evolving role of research, the power of empathy, and how a good infographic (or a great focus group) can re-energize your work.

We chat about:

• How Carole blends data, design, and storytelling in her research
• What she's learned from diving into focus groups and field insights
• Why the best career advice she ever got was to “find the question behind the question"

In this episode of the IBI Team Podcast Series, we sit down with Zoram Blancas-Ruiz, IBI’s Director of Benchmarking & Analytics. Zoram shares his path from disability insurance to data leadership, how he’s redeveloping IBI’s benchmarking program, and why he believes collaboration and persistence are key to success.

We also talk Excel tips, pickleball, softball coaching, and what it’s like to wear many hats on a small but mighty team.