The third annual NAMI-Ipsos Workplace Mental Health poll was conducted in January – February 2026. This survey focused on full-time workers employed at companies across industries with at least 100 employees. Results show that employees are seeking increased support and training around mental health.
Employee Well-being and Workplace Perceptions
Three in four employees say it’s appropriate to discuss mental health at work.
While a majority of employees say they feel comfortable talking about mental health at work (61%), there is a wide gap in comfort when compared to “identity conversations” about race and ethnicity (87%), gender identity (85%), sexual orientation (78%), physical health (75%), and religion or spirituality (71%).
A majority of employees report feeling comfortable discussing mental health with a colleague they consider a friend (83%), their teammates (61%), and their manager (57%).
On the other hand, level of comfort is significantly lower when talking to Human Resources (39%) or senior/C-suite leadership (30%) about their mental health.
Stigma and judgment around mental health is a barrier for 41% of employees who feel uncomfortable.
39% of employees say that silence around mental health prevents them from sharing.
One in three employees feel sharing about their mental health may make them seem weak.
For 23%, fear of losing opportunities at work or retaliation holds them back from confiding in someone at work about mental health.
22% say they don’t feel comfortable sharing about their mental health at work because their job is a main contributing factor.
48% of employees worry they would be judged for sharing mental health struggles with their colleagues.
46% of managers worry about the career impact of talking about mental health at work, even though managers significantly feel more comfortable (81%) if their coworkers talked to them about their mental health at work than non-managers (75%).
7 in 10
employees report feeling stressed about the state of the world.
30%
of employees report feeling “very stressed,” an increase of 11 percentage points since 2024.
Workplace Culture, Responsibility, and Burnout
Although many employees feel their managers care about them (78%), only 54% feel their company as a whole makes mental health a priority.
Employees at companies that offer mental health training are significantly more likely to feel their company prioritizes their mental health (69% vs. 40%). Mental health training programs — such as You Can Ask by NAMI — equip workplaces with tools to foster this sense of support.
While most employees feel comfortable talking about mental health with a colleague they consider their friend, only 58% believe coworkers and teammates are responsible for helping them feel comfortable.
More employees believe their direct managers or supervisors (84%), Human Resources (83%), and senior/C-suite leadership (75%) are responsible for cultivating an environment of comfort with mental health at work.
Survey results show that notable portions of the workforce have felt poor impacts on their mental health due to work:
53% felt burned out because of their job
39% felt so overwhelmed it was hard to do their job
38% felt their mental health suffer because of demands at work
35% felt their productivity suffer because of their mental health
26% considered quitting because of work’s impact on their mental health
A smaller – but important – portion of employees (6%) said they resigned or quit because of work’s demand on their mental health. Note, this survey was only fielded to those employed at companies with at least 100 employees and the number above represents only those who found a new job within the year and may not represent the full scope of the problem.
Employees who are part of the sandwich generation (caregivers of both their older relatives and children) feel significantly higher rates of overwhelm (52%), considering quitting due to mental health concerns (37%), and resigning due to mental health impact (16%).
In general, caregivers experience significantly higher rates of burnout (61% vs. 49%) and felt their mental health suffer more (48% vs. 34%) because of demands at work than non-caregivers.
95%
of caregivers say flexible scheduling is important to their mental health and well-being.
86%
of caregivers say a caregiver support group or Employee Resource Group is important.
Mental Health Resources and Training
Only six in ten employees report knowing how to access mental health care through their employer-sponsored health insurance.
Many employees (57%) report they have not received training about their workplace’s mental health resource offerings.
Nearly 1 in 3 managers do not feel their company has provided enough resources to support the mental and emotional health of their teams.
Fewer than three in ten managers have received training on how to talk about mental health with their teams.
At companies where mental health trainings are offered:
Employees feel their company makes its workers’ mental health a priority (69%). Only 40% of employees at companies without training feel the same.
Feel more cared about by their managers (86%) and leadership (58%), compared to 70% and 43% respectively, without mental health trainings.
Feel more comfortable (82%) with coworkers talking to them about mental health at work vs. 72% without training.
Employees who receive mental health training report lower levels of stigma around mental health. Only 43% of these employees worry about being judged if they shared their mental health struggles. In contrast, 52% of employees at companies without mental health training express these same concerns about judgment.
Managers who feel their company has provided them with proper resources feel more prepared to support their teams, have more trust in leadership, and experience less burnout.
90% of managers with adequate company-provided resources feel prepared to support their teams, compared to 61% without.
Nearly 3 in 4 managers (74%) with adequate resources feel their company makes employee mental health a priority. Without adequate resources, the number drops to just 16%.
Managers with company-provided mental health resources report significantly lower burnout — 45% feel burned out compared to 73% of those without resources.
For managers and their team members alike, mental health benefits are a valued resource that contribute to creating a positive workplace culture. This includes sick days for mental health, flexible or remote work arrangements, and mental health and well-being training.
2026 Workplace Mental Health Infographic
Through mental health benefits, adequate resourcing for managers, and training to support mental health discussions at work, companies can reduce rates of employee burnout and increase employee satisfaction. Share the key highlights from this year’s poll with your team.
Additional Resources
Press Release: NAMI Poll Shows Increased Stress, Demand for Workplace Mental Health Resources
Deck: 2026 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll
2026 Poll Topline Results and Methodology
2026 Poll Research Slide Deck
Ipsos: NAMI Workplace Mental Health 2026
2025 Workplace Mental Health Poll Results
2024 Workplace Mental Health Poll Results
NAMI StigmaFree: Workplace Mental Health Resources
This NAMI/Ipsos poll was conducted January 27 – February 2, 2026, by Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 2,153 general population adults, age 18 or older, who are employed full-time and work at a business or company with at least 100 employees. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults.