Over the past four years, the conversation around mental health in the workplace has undergone a significant shift. Events such as the global pandemic, movements for racial justice, and broader social and economic upheavals have accelerated this transformation. While employers have responded with initiatives like enhanced benefits, mental health days, mindfulness programs, and awareness campaigns, these alone aren’t sufficient to create lasting change.
Since 2019, Mind Share Partners, in collaboration with Qualtrics, has conducted a biennial survey called the Mental Health at Work Report. This report has captured the evolving attitudes and experiences of 1,500 full-time U.S. employees, including statistically significant samples of historically underrepresented groups such as women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others.
The latest edition of the report provides new insights into how workplace mental health has evolved through different phases — before, during, and after the pandemic — and what today’s workers truly need for mental wellness on the job.
How the Workplace Mental Health Landscape Has Evolved
In its first report in 2019, Mind Share Partners identified mental health as an essential component of employee well-being, engagement, productivity, and equity. At that time, however, most employers offered limited and often superficial support.
By 2021, amid the pandemic, mental health challenges spiked and became more visible. Employers began to respond with expanded benefits, but stress from work itself also increased. Awareness rose, and mental health became a more common topic of discussion.
Now, in 2023, the role of work is being redefined. Employees are rethinking what matters most, contributing to trends like the Great Resignation and quiet quitting. Some companies are innovating by boosting pay, piloting four-day workweeks, and offering greater flexibility. Others, however, are reverting to pre-pandemic norms, rolling back some of these efforts.
Highlights from the 2023 Report
Mental health trends show both progress and setbacks.
Between 2019 and 2021, mental health symptoms surged while overall well-being dropped. By 2023, reports of symptoms fell by 20%, a positive sign. Yet, self-assessed ratings of overall mental health continued to decline — from 78% rating their health 7–10 out of 10 in 2019 to just 61% in 2023. Financial pressures and job demands were the top stressors.
This paradox reflects the complex nature of mental health, which includes diagnosed conditions and general emotional stress. While the end of the pandemic relieved some pressures, new issues — economic instability, job insecurity, mandatory office returns, and strained employer-employee dynamics — introduced fresh stressors. Many workers now find themselves in a state of “languishing,” a term popularized by psychologist Adam Grant to describe a sense of stagnation and emptiness.
Culture change is more powerful than therapy or apps.
Traditionally, workplace mental health efforts focused on individual solutions like therapy and wellness apps. While these are valuable, they don’t address root causes within the work environment.
Burnout, for instance, is now understood to stem from systemic workplace issues — unmanageable workloads, lack of control, insufficient recognition, and unfair practices. When asked what most helped their mental health, workers in the 2023 report prioritized a healthy, sustainable workplace culture (78%) over therapy (64%) and self-care tools (60%).
This shift highlights the growing recognition that mental health is a shared organizational responsibility — not just a personal one.
Psychological safety has regressed.
While awareness of mental health increased, employees now feel less comfortable discussing it at work. The percentage of workers willing to talk to senior leaders about their mental health dropped from 37% in 2021 to 19% in 2023.
Why? Many organizations have pushed for productivity and performance while also claiming to promote flexibility and wellness — creating mixed signals. As a result, feelings of psychological safety and support have eroded, even as individual understanding of mental health has improved.
DEI efforts have a clear impact.
Across all reports, marginalized groups — including women, Gen Z, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color — consistently reported worse mental health outcomes. They also felt less supported and engaged at work.
However, when these groups felt that their identities were respected and valued by their employers, their mental health and job satisfaction significantly improved. These findings underscore the vital connection between inclusion and mental well-being.
Autonomy is key in the return-to-office debate.
When comparing fully remote, hybrid, and in-person workers, no single arrangement emerged as best for mental health. But hybrid employees who chose their work environment reported better mental health, less likelihood of leaving their jobs for mental health reasons, and more pride in their work.
What matters most isn’t where employees work — it’s having the choice to work in a way that suits their needs.
What Employers Can Do
Based on years of experience and the latest data, Mind Share Partners recommends five strategies:
Reimagine mental health at work together.
There’s no universal formula for a mentally healthy workplace. Organizations should regularly gather feedback, assess workplace factors, and tailor solutions to their people’s needs. This should be integrated into company culture, operations, and strategy — not just HR initiatives.Drive change from all levels.
Leaders can model openness by sharing their own mental health stories and supporting healthy work habits. Simultaneously, employees can foster support through peer groups, listening programs, and collaborative norm-setting. Training for all levels can help build sustainable and inclusive practices.Look beyond surface-level fixes.
While programs like mental health days and wellness perks are helpful, they don’t solve underlying issues. Employers must also address systemic problems such as excessive workloads, inequity, and lack of autonomy.Prioritize fundamental human needs.
A truly healthy workplace must ensure:Safety (physical, emotional, and financial)
Autonomy (control over time and tasks)
Belonging (inclusion, connection, and community)
Continue investing in DEI.
Despite political pushback, DEI efforts remain essential. Mental health and equity are closely linked, as marginalized groups often face more challenges in both areas. Staying committed to DEI helps all employees feel seen, supported, and empowered.
A Return to the Essentials
What took other movements decades to achieve, the mental health movement in the workplace has accomplished in just a few years. But moving forward requires a return to fundamentals.
Today’s workers don’t want flashy perks or tech gimmicks. They want:
Job stability
Fair workloads
Recognition and purpose
A sense of belonging
Flexibility and control
A voice in how they work
The future of workplace mental health isn’t about the newest tool or trend. It’s about building work environments that meet human needs — rooted in equity, safety, and community. That future starts by rethinking work itself.