Mental health in the workplace is one of the most important pillars on which modern organizational psychology is based. In light of accelerating changes, a large number of US employees report feelings of stress and anxiety due to their jobs, while human resources professionals express concern about the risk of job burnout among employees. This article sheds light on data from the "Mental Health Snapshot for 2026" released by the Thought Leadership Division of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). This analysis aims to review the gap between employee needs and organizations' readiness to meet them.

Psychological Indicators: Concerning Rise in Stress and Anxiety

Data reveals a continued deterioration in the mental state of employees due to their jobs compared to previous years:

  • The percentage of employees feeling stressed increased from 30% in 2024 and 31% in 2025 to reach 40% in 2026.
  • Anxiety rates showed a similar escalation; starting at 21% in 2024, reaching 27% in 2026.
  • Feelings of depression increased from 12% in 2024 to 17% in 2026.
  • Sense of loneliness increased from 10% in 2024 to 15% in 2026.
  • Employees' sense of belonging declined from 60% in 2025 to 53% in 2026.
  • Sense of satisfaction (self-fulfillment) fell from 54% in 2025 to 45% in 2026.

Risk of Job Turnover and Burnout Concerns

This psychological deterioration translates directly into a desire to leave work, with many employees considering leaving their jobs due to its impact on their mental health. When asked how often this crosses their mind, the results were as follows:

  • 5% think about it all the time.
  • 12% often think about it.
  • 33% sometimes think about it.
  • 26% rarely think about it.
  • 24% never think about it.

In contrast, most human resources professionals express concern (at least moderate degree) about job burnout within their organizations over the past three months:

  • 7% are very concerned.
  • 21% are very concerned.
  • 33% are moderately concerned.
  • 29% are slightly concerned.
  • 5% are not concerned at all.

The Paradox of Responsibility and Funding

The report shows great consensus on the principle of responsibility; 73% of employees and 87% of human resources professionals agree that organizations are responsible for supporting their employees' mental health.

Yet, it is unlikely that most organizations will increase their investments in mental health benefits next year:

  • 30% reported that the increase is not likely at all.
  • 45% reported that it is unlikely.
  • 20% reported that it is moderately likely.
  • 4% reported that it is very likely.
  • 1% only reported that it is very likely.

And making the problem more complex is the poor utilization of existing resources; 55% of employees reported that they rarely or never used the mental health benefits offered by their organizations. In contrast, only 6% of human resources professionals confirmed high utilization of these benefits.

Declining HR Confidence and Alternative Solutions

There is a continuous decline in the confidence of human resources professionals regarding their readiness to support mental health, with the percentage declining from 70% in 2024, to 65% in 2025, to 62% in 2026.

Despite not planning to increase financial investments, the report clarifies that there are meaningful ways for organizations to demonstrate their commitment to employee mental health. These solutions include:

  • Launching communication campaigns to ensure employees are fully aware of available mental health benefits.
  • Exploring low-cost or free initiatives, such as offering flexible work hours or mental health days off.
  • Training managers to achieve better balance in employee workloads and provide support for psychological well-being. Improving employee experience at work requires concerted effort from human resources professionals and leaders throughout the organization.

All data and figures in this article are based on the "SHRM 2026 Mental Health Snapshot" research issued by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 2026. Data was collected through a survey that included a sample of 1,101 American employees on February 11, 2026. A sample of 1,022 human resources professionals was also surveyed between February 5-10, 2026. It should be noted that the data in this report is unweighted data.