From rising anxiety and burnout to gaps in employee support, research across the globe exposes mounting workplace mental health pressures – and why experts say employers must move beyond awareness to meaningful action.
As we observe World Mental Health Day on 10 October, mounting evidence of workplace anxiety, burnout and inadequate employee support is prompting fresh calls for organisations to turn their wellbeing commitments into meaningful action. From Europe to North America and Australia, research reveals a troubling disconnect between employers’ mental health ambitions and employees’ everyday experiences – with consequences for wellbeing, retention, productivity and career progression.
In the UK, almost nine in 10 employers (88%) believe they are expected to do more than ever to support employees experiencing poor mental health, according to new research from Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England. Yet just 37% say their organisation has a comprehensive approach to supporting employee mental health. A third (33%) have seen an employee take long-term sickness absence because of poor mental health in the past year, while a quarter (25%) have seen someone leave. Among employers reporting these outcomes, nearly three-quarters (74%) believe more effective support could have helped affected employees remain in work.
The findings come as World Mental Health Day 2026 adopts the global theme “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change.” The World Health Organization is calling for people with lived experience of mental health conditions to have a greater voice in shaping the policies, services and decisions affecting their lives. For employers, that raises a fundamental question: are organisations genuinely listening to employees and acting on their experiences, or simply encouraging them to become more resilient to mounting workplace pressures?
GROWING MENTAL HEALTH PRESSURES
The challenges facing UK employers reflect a much wider international problem, with research highlighting concerns about burnout, workplace stigma and inadequate support. According to the Headspace’s 2025 Workforce State of Mind report, 58% of employees surveyed across the UK and US had considered quitting their jobs because of mental health struggles. The study, involving more than 2,000 employees and 250 HR leaders, also found that 40% had taken mental health leave, while 92% reported that work disrupted their sleep.
Across Europe, the picture is similarly concerning. Research involving nearly 25,000 employees in 19 European countries found that just 53% believed they worked in psychologically healthy environments. The findings from Great Place To Work also revealed a disconnect between leaders and employees: 67% of senior leaders considered their organisations psychologically healthy, compared with just 51% of non-managers and middle managers.
Meanwhile, international research from Peninsula Group, covering businesses across the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, revealed that mental health stigma remains a significant concern. More than three-quarters (76%) of employers surveyed were not fully confident that employees would disclose mental health difficulties at work. The research also found that only one in five employers offered dedicated mental health days beyond normal leave allowances.
These studies involve different samples and methodologies, but point towards a common challenge – having mental health policies or resources in place does not necessarily mean employees feel safe, comfortable or supported enough to use them.
WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH UNDER PRESSURE
The scale of the challenge in Britain is significant. According to the Health and Safety Executive, 964,000 workers in Great Britain experienced work-related stress, depression or anxiety during 2024/25, accounting for more than half of all work-related ill health.
These conditions were associated with 22.1 million working days lost. Meanwhile, Mental Health Foundation research found that more than one in five UK workers (22%) experience poor mental health, equivalent to approximately 7.2 million people. The research also revealed that 5.6 million workers say their jobs leave them stressed or unhappy most or all of the time.
The findings raise important questions about whether organisations are doing enough to address the working conditions contributing to poor mental health. As recently reported, the UK Duty of Care Guidelines have called for greater attention to excessive workloads, job design, weak management, autonomy and psychological safety.
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT CANNOT WAIT
In response to growing pressures, MHFA England has launched the UK’s first Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards, giving employers clearer guidance on providing consistent support. The nine standards, organised across four phases, cover leadership commitment, training and supporting Mental Health First Aiders, developing appropriate support infrastructure, raising awareness, evaluating impact and embedding mental health first aid into organisational culture. Almost nine in 10 employers (86%) believe a clear set of workplace mental health first aid standards would help their organisations develop a more consistent approach.
Sarah McIntosh, CEO of Mental Health First Aid (MFHA) England highlighted the importance of acting before employees reach crisis point. “Too often, support for employees experiencing poor mental health comes only after someone has reached crisis point or left work,” she said. “Creating psychologically safe workplaces where people can talk openly about their mental health, without fear of stigma, is essential if we are to improve retention, narrow participation gaps, and help more people and businesses thrive.”
McIntosh also stressed that better support can influence whether employees remain in work: “Good mental health support can be the difference between someone staying in or falling out of work, but it’s clear from our latest research that many need clearer guidance on what good support looks like.”
The standards come as the UK Government progresses recommendations from the Keep Britain Working Review, which calls for greater emphasis on prevention, earlier intervention and helping people remain healthy and employed.
WORKPLACE ANXIETY AFFECTS PAY AND CAREER
Poor mental health does not only manifest through sickness absence or employees leaving their jobs. It can also influence confidence, everyday decisions and career opportunities. New research from Careerminds UK, based on a survey of 600 employees, reveals that asking for a pay rise is the country’s biggest workplace anxiety trigger. More than one in three employees (36.5%) say asking for a pay rise makes them anxious, followed by speaking up in a large meeting (34%), saying no to additional work (26.8%), asking for a promotion (26.3%) and presenting to senior leadership (25.2%).
More concerningly, 57% say anxiety has at some point prevented or delayed them from asking for a pay rise or promotion. Almost one in four (23.2%) have still not returned to the conversation. Women appear particularly affected, with 28.8% reporting that anxiety has prevented them from ever asking for a pay rise or promotion – around one-and-a-half times the proportion of men.
The findings also highlight a generational divide. Among employees aged 18 to 27, 43.9% feel anxious about asking for a pay rise and 45.1% about speaking up in large meetings. Other everyday situations create anxiety, too. Almost one in five employees (19.8%) feel anxious calling in sick, while 15.5% feel anxious disagreeing with their manager.
The findings suggest that workplace anxiety is not simply a wellbeing issue. It may also influence who speaks up, negotiates pay, accesses opportunities and progresses in their career. Careerminds recommends practical changes, including clearer pay bands, providing meeting agendas in advance and giving employees straightforward ways to raise concerns about unmanageable workloads.
MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES
Although workplace mental health pressures can affect anyone, employees may experience additional challenges depending on their circumstances, identities and experiences. For some, anxiety may stem from excessive workloads, job insecurity or financial pressures. For others, discrimination, exclusion, inaccessible working environments, caring responsibilities or pressure to conceal aspects of their identity can create additional emotional strain.
The Mental Health Foundation identifies disabled workers, younger employees and lone parents among groups facing particular mental health inequalities. Its research found that workers with a disability or long-term health condition were around 1.5 times more likely to experience poor mental health than the wider workforce.
Separate research has highlighted persistent wellbeing inequalities among neurodivergent employees, including poorer psychological safety, difficulties with work-life balance and heightened risks of burnout. LGBTQ+ employees may face additional pressures around visibility, acceptance and whether they feel safe being themselves at work.
Speaking at a Deutsche Bank event held in partnership with Stonewall, LGBTQ+ leaders and workplace wellbeing experts discussed the emotional toll of continually monitoring behaviour, navigating exclusion and feeling responsible for representing their communities. Trenton Tomlinson, Global Impact Manager at Universal Music Group, reflected on how people can find themselves continually monitoring how they behave and present themselves in professional environments, describing the experience as a form of masking that can take a toll on mental wellbeing. He also highlighted the additional pressure of being highly visible or feeling responsible for representing others, particularly in environments where people from certain backgrounds remain underrepresented.
Such perspectives underline why a one-size-fits-all approach to workplace mental health is unlikely to meet everyone’s needs. For employers, meaningful support requires recognising that people’s experiences of work differ, addressing discrimination and exclusion, and ensuring support is accessible without employees feeling pressured to disclose personal information before they are ready.
MANAGERS AND MENTAL HEALTH
Managers play a critical role in creating workplaces where employees feel able to speak openly about their mental health. Yet many are struggling with pressures of their own. As recently reported, one in four UK managers regularly thinks about quitting because of the stress and pressure associated with managing people. The research also found that 31% consider their workloads unmanageable most or all of the time, while a third say work has negatively affected their health or wellbeing.
The challenge is compounded by a lack of preparation. Separate research found that only four in 10 managers feel adequately prepared for difficult workplace conversations, including AI anxiety, layoffs and organisational change. The challenge is international, too. Headspace’s research found that only 38% of middle managers surveyed in the UK and US felt empowered to enforce healthy work-life boundaries. Meanwhile, the 2025 Mental Health at Work Index, found that while 86% of participating organisations had an executive responsible for workplace mental health, just 41% of leaders consistently modelled healthy behaviours.
PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY AT WORK
Speaking at the recent Deutsche Bank and Stonewall event, MHFA England’s Sarah McIntosh highlighted the influence managers can have on employees’ psychological safety and wellbeing. Referring to research on the relationship between management and mental health, she emphasised that managers can have a make-or-break influence on whether employees feel safe and supported at work.
McIntosh encouraged managers not to avoid conversations about difficult issues affecting employees, including discrimination, exclusion or negative news about communities to which their colleagues belong. Rather than remaining silent for fear of saying the wrong thing, managers should be willing to acknowledge what employees may be experiencing, ask how they are feeling and explore what support they need. Her comments reinforce the importance of equipping managers with the confidence, skills and organisational support to create inclusive workplaces, rather than expecting them to become mental health experts.
As Fair Play Talks highlighted during Mental Health Awareness Week, managers need appropriate training, resources and organisational backing to help employees experiencing difficulties. Without those foundations, organisations risk expecting managers to protect other people’s wellbeing while neglecting their own.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Creating psychologically safe workplaces also requires leaders who are willing to speak openly about their own experiences, rather than expecting employees to take the first step. Jon Tilli, one of Deutsche Bank’s Directors, spoke candidly about his mental health journey and how it has been closely connected to his experience of coming out, at a recent event in partnership with Stonewall. “My coming out story and my mental health story are pretty much intertwined,” he shared.
Tilli praised Deutsche Bank for providing both financial support and the flexibility to attend treatment while managing his professional responsibilities. His experience highlights how employers can move beyond raising awareness to providing practical, meaningful support that enables employees to prioritise their mental health without putting their careers on hold.
He also reflected on the pressures of leadership and the importance of recognising when to prioritise personal wellbeing. Drawing on the familiar airline safety advice to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others, Tilli emphasised that looking after yourself is essential if you want to continue supporting colleagues and communities. Tilli acknowledged that even those who dedicate considerable time and energy to championing inclusion and wellbeing are not immune to burnout, reinforcing the importance of leaders recognising their own limits and feeling able to ask for support.
His message raises an important question for employers. Do people, including senior leaders, feel able to acknowledge when they are struggling and access meaningful support without fear of judgement or professional consequences?
STRONGER FOCUS ON PREVENTION NEEDED
Wellbeing experts at Everywhen are also calling for a stronger focus on prevention and helping employees build mental strength. Debra Clark, Head of Wellbeing at Everywhen, believes organisations can make a greater impact by combining early support with practical strategies that help employees manage pressure before difficulties escalate.
“An employer can have more impact in preventing mental ill-health and boosting mental wellbeing by first focusing on building mental strength,” she said. “Supporting good mental health strategies, including raising awareness and giving employees training on useful coping strategies, for example, can help to stop an employee from starting a negative spiral in the first place.”
Everywhen argues that effective mental wellbeing strategies must be embedded within organisational culture, supported by clear policies and access to appropriate professional care. Clark also emphasised the importance of employers understanding their workforce, identifying patterns in mental health-related absence and measuring the impact of wellbeing initiatives. “Everyone has their part to play in supporting and building good mental health – society, the employer and the individual themselves,” she said. “Employers are in a great place to advocate and encourage mental strength and resilience.”
However, individual resilience cannot compensate indefinitely for excessive workloads, poor leadership, discrimination or harmful working environments. Prevention must therefore work in both directions: helping employees develop coping strategies while addressing organisational practices that contribute to stress and poor mental health.
MENTAL HEALTH COMMITMENTS
Some employers are demonstrating how mental health commitments can be translated into practical initiatives. Global advertising and communications group dentsu is marking World Mental Health Day by giving colleagues an additional day off to focus on their wellbeing.
In his recent LinkedIn post, Takeshi Sano, Global CEO & President of dentsu, highlighted the importance of making time for rest and recovery. “In business, our own wellbeing can easily fall down our list of priorities. But none of what we do can be sustained without taking care of our mental health and recognising when we need time to rest and recharge,” he stated. “At dentsu, we mark World Mental Health Day each year by giving all our colleagues an additional day off for their wellbeing. Today, many of our people are enjoying that well-deserved break, spending the day doing whatever helps them feel their best.”
The initiative contrasts with Peninsula Group’s international research, which found that only one in five employers surveyed offered dedicated mental health days beyond normal leave allowances. While an additional day off cannot address every workplace mental health challenge, it illustrates how leaders can move beyond encouraging employees to prioritise wellbeing and provide practical opportunities to do so.
ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
At Simplyhealth, the focus is on ensuring employees can also access support when challenges arise. The organisation has 40 Mental Health First Aiders, giving colleagues another point of contact when they may feel uncomfortable discussing concerns directly with their manager.
Siân Evans, Head of Leadership and Development at Simplyhealth, said adopting MHFA England’s new standards would help the organisation assess existing provision and identify opportunities for improvement. “We wanted to become an early adopter of MHFA England’s new Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards because wellbeing sits at the heart of our company’s values,” she explained.
The company hopes the framework will help strengthen a culture in which employees can seek support earlier and have conversations about mental health without stigma.
WHAT EMPLOYERS CAN DO TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH
As World Mental Health Day encourages people to reflect on their wellbeing, organisations have an opportunity to assess whether their commitments are making a meaningful difference. Research and expert guidance point to several practical steps:
- Listen to employees and act on their experiences. Use confidential feedback, regular conversations and employee involvement to understand where support is working and where gaps remain.
- Intervene before employees reach crisis point. Train managers and Mental Health First Aiders to recognise potential warning signs, respond appropriately and signpost employees towards professional support.
- Create psychologically safe workplaces. Encourage open conversations about mental health without fear of judgement, discrimination or career consequences.
- Recognise different employee experiences. Ensure wellbeing strategies consider disabled, neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ employees, younger workers, parents, carers and others who may face additional workplace pressures.
- Review workloads and working conditions. Address excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, poor management practices and cultures that reward overwork.
- Make support accessible and visible. Ensure employees understand what assistance is available, including occupational health, Employee Assistance Programmes, reasonable adjustments and mental health first aid.
- Support managers as well as employees. Provide training, manageable workloads and appropriate guidance so managers are not expected to carry responsibility for colleagues’ wellbeing without support themselves.
- Measure impact rather than activity. Look beyond participation in awareness campaigns to assess absence trends, employee experiences, retention, access to support and improvements in workplace culture.
WHAT EMPLOYEES CAN DO TO PROTECT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH
While employers have a responsibility to create mentally healthy workplaces, employees can also take practical steps to protect their wellbeing, recognise early warning signs and access support. Importantly, looking after your mental health does not mean having to become more resilient to unreasonable workloads, discrimination or unhealthy working conditions.
Employees should feel able to ask for support, establish boundaries and raise concerns without fearing negative consequences. It’s important to:
- Recognise early warning signs. Persistent exhaustion, changes in sleep, difficulty concentrating, irritability, anxiety or feeling overwhelmed may indicate that work is affecting your wellbeing.
- Speak up before reaching breaking point. Where you feel comfortable, talk to your manager, HR team, Mental Health First Aider or another trusted colleague about the pressures you’re experiencing. You do not need to wait until you are in crisis to ask for help.
- Set boundaries and protect your downtime. Taking breaks, using annual leave, switching off outside working hours and discussing unmanageable workloads can help reduce stress.
- Ask for adjustments when needed. Changes to working hours, flexible or remote working, additional breaks, a quieter workspace or adjustments to responsibilities may help. In Great Britain, employees whose mental health condition meets the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010 may be entitled to reasonable adjustments.
- Make use of available support. Find out whether your employer offers an Employee Assistance Programme, occupational health services, counselling or access to Mental Health First Aiders. Your GP and specialist mental health organisations can also provide support independently of your employer.
- Build supportive connections. Trusted colleagues, friends, family members and employee networks can provide valuable emotional support. For employees experiencing exclusion or discrimination, having people with whom they can be themselves can be particularly important.
- Challenge unhealthy expectations. If excessive workloads, constant overtime or unrealistic deadlines are affecting your wellbeing, raise concerns through appropriate workplace channels. Where necessary, seek advice from a trade union representative, Acas or an independent employment adviser.
- Be kind to yourself and others. Mental health can fluctuate, and everyone experiences difficult periods. Remember that colleagues may be facing challenges that are not immediately visible.
For employees experiencing persistent anxiety, depression, burnout or other mental health difficulties, professional support may be necessary. Workplace wellbeing initiatives can help, but they are not a substitute for appropriate healthcare. Above all, looking after your mental health should not mean carrying responsibility for fixing an unhealthy workplace alone.
BEYOND ONE DAY OF AWARENESS
World Mental Health Day provides an important opportunity to raise awareness, share lived experiences and challenge stigma. But lasting progress depends on what employers do throughout the rest of the year. The research demonstrates that mental health challenges can affect not only employees’ wellbeing, but also their confidence, career progression, relationships with managers and ability to remain in work.
It also highlights the importance of recognising that people experience work differently, and that some employees face additional barriers related to disability, discrimination, identity, financial insecurity or caring responsibilities. For businesses, the message is increasingly clear: mental health cannot be treated as a standalone HR initiative or an individual responsibility.
Creating mentally healthy workplaces requires a shared commitment – from leaders who make wellbeing a priority and managers who create psychologically safe environments, to employees who feel able to speak up, set boundaries and seek support. But responsibility must be matched by action. Employers need to create the conditions in which people can protect their mental health, rather than simply expecting them to become more resilient to unhealthy working environments.
World Mental Health Day is a reminder that awareness matters – but meaningful change happens through the everyday actions that help people feel safe, supported and valued at work. Employers can learn more about MHFA England’s new Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards and pledge their support.
WHERE TO FIND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health difficulties, support is available. Whether you’re struggling with workplace stress, anxiety, depression or other challenges, seeking help early can make a difference.
UK SUPPORT
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health in the UK, you can contact:
- Mind – mental health information and advice.
- Mental Health Foundation – research and practical wellbeing guidance.
- Samaritans – free, confidential emotional support, available 24 hours a day on 116 123.
- Acas – impartial advice on workplace rights and mental health at work.
- NHS mental health services – information about talking therapies and professional support.
For urgent mental health help in England, contact NHS 111 and select the mental health option. If someone’s life is in immediate danger, call 999.
US SUPPORT
For readers in the US, the following organisations provide confidential support, mental health information and access to professional services:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Free, confidential support available 24/7 for anyone experiencing emotional distress or a mental health crisis. Call or text 988.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Mental health information, peer support and local resources. Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or text NAMI to 62640, Monday to Friday, 10am–10pm ET.
- Mental Health America (MHA) – Mental health education, advocacy and free, confidential online screening tools for conditions including anxiety and depression.
- SAMHSA – FindTreatment.gov – A confidential US government directory helping individuals find mental health and substance use treatment services in their area.
- If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or seek emergency medical assistance.
WORLDWIDE SUPPORT
The following organisations offer information, guidance or access to support across different countries:
- World Health Organization (WHO) – Practical resources for managing stress, supporting mental wellbeing and recognising when professional help may be needed.
- Find A Helpline – A searchable directory of free, confidential emotional support services in more than 130 countries.
- Befrienders Worldwide – An international network helping people find emotional support and crisis helplines in different countries.
- World Federation for Mental Health – International mental health advocacy, awareness and educational resources.
Employees can also explore support available through their employer, local healthcare providers, employee assistance programmes or community mental health organisations. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services or nearest emergency department.
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