Nearly four years after COVID-19 upended the ways we work and live, people are left to navigate this collective trauma from the pandemic while juggling their work and personal lives. Today’s workforce expects more mental health support from employers.
For the fourth consecutive year, we surveyed 250 HR and benefits leaders and over 3,400 employees across industries to understand their experiences, views, and plans regarding mental health in the workplace. For the first time, we also surveyed workers from six additional countries, outside the U.S.: Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, and the UK.
The results of our 2024 State of Workforce Mental Health report revealed that most workers, regardless of their location or industry, are dealing with mental health issues that affect them on the job and need more robust support from their employers. Organizations must confront these issues head-on, and shift their focus from individual employee mental health to a holistic approach of ensuring access to effective care and building healthy companies and cultures.
Percentage of U.S. workers citing stress as a top mental health challenge
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2022 |
2023 |
Serious mental health issues are on the rise
Self-harm
1.4%
3.3%
Suicidal thoughts
3.4%
5%
Intimate partner violence
1.4%
3%
Inpatient hospital stays
4%
12%
2022
2023
Rate of workers whose mental health impacted their ability to do their job over the past year, by country
U.S. workers considered leaving their company last year due to their mental health’s impact on their ability to work
% of employees who said their mental health challenges make it harder to work
Less focused
Less engaged
Less productive
The number of parents in the U.S. supporting children with mental health issues is soaring
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2022 |
2023 |
These parents need support for their own mental health
U.S. workers who are not supporting children reported a decline in mental health over the past year
U.S. workers whose children are struggling with a mental health issue reported a much steeper decline in mental health
Employers and employees have different perspectives on family mental health support
'My company’s benefits sufficiently help my child with mental health issues'
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HR and benefits leaders |
Employees |
U.S. workers receiving mental health care
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2022 |
2023 |
Workers receiving care who switched providers
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One time |
Three or more times |
want help from a trusted resource to identify the right mental health provider
‘A mentally healthy work culture has become a higher priority for my company’
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HR and benefits leaders |
Employees |
‘Mental health support for individual employees has become a higher priority’
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HR and benefits leaders |
Employees |
% of managers in the U.S. who said their mental health had a significant or severe impact on their ability to do their job
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2022 |
2023 |
‘Managers have the autonomy needed to support their employees’ mental health‘
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HR and benefits leaders |
Managers |
Get the full report
See more results from our research and get expert insights on how to tackle these issues and create a mentally healthy workplace.