A new report by Meritain Health and the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health,  say that it's time companies  make the connection between untreated mental health conditions and lost productivity, perhaps offering more comprehensive mental health benefits and promoting the benefits to their employees.

And in a separate report, this time by Watson Wyatt, workers rank stress as the top reason they would leave their company, followed by base pay, new opportunities, and work/life balance.

However, it is not even among the top five reasons that employers cited. Instead, employers cited insufficient pay, lack of career development, and promotion opportunities.

Watson Wyatt's 2007/2008 Global Strategic Rewards study found that when employees are satisfied with stress levels and work/life balance, 86% are more inclined to stay with their company (versus 64% when dissatisfied) and 88% are more likely to recommend it as a place to work (versus 55% when dissatisfied).

Stress Affects Performance

In the Meritain/mental health study, 94% of workers report that their stress levels affect job performance.

In the national study of 411 full-time employees with medical benefits, 52% say their employer does not address stress, work/life balance, or mental/behavioral health with employees. Moreover, 40% aren't aware of what mental/behavioral health benefits are offered by their employer. And 35.7% say they would be more likely to use their mental/behavioral health benefits if their employer did a better job of promoting them.

Additional survey findings show: 

• 55.8% say stress affects their general attitude.
• 39.4% say stress affects relationships with co-workers.
• 36.2% say stress affects their productivity.
• 35.5% say stress affects the quality of their work.
• 33.2% say stress affects their relationship with their supervisor.