Creating Mentally Healthy Workplaces
Building Cultures Where People and Organizations Thrive
Mental health is no longer a peripheral concern — it is central to organizational performance and employee well-being. Anxiety and depression are estimated to contribute $1 trillion in lost productivity globally each year. Seventy-seven percent of American workers report experiencing work-related stress, with more than half suffering negative consequences such as emotional exhaustion, reduced motivation, and lower productivity.
Creating mentally healthy workplaces ensures employees can cope with the demands of work, achieve their full potential, and contribute to organizational success. With evidence-based strategies, employers can reduce absenteeism, enhance engagement, and unlock the innovation that comes when employees feel supported and understood.
As part of SHRM Foundation’s Thriving Together initiative, we partner with HR leaders to provide tools, trainings, communities of practice, and research to drive mental health for all workers, and better outcomes for workplaces.
Join us in building a workplaces that prioritize mental health and cultures of care for all.
$1 trillion
in global lost workplace productivity each year due to anxiety and depression challenges among workers.1
1: Unilever
92%
of U.S. workers consider it important to work for an organization that prioritizes their emotional and psychological wellbeing.2
45%
of American workers at small to medium-sized companies would stay longer at their jobs due to the presence of wellness programs.
3: SHRM
Meeting the Moment by Prioritizing Mental Health
Today’s workforce faces unprecedented levels of stress, burnout, and competing personal and professional pressures. Without support, these challenges drive absenteeism, presenteeism, and turnover—eroding business performance.
Embedding mental health supports isn’t just responsive to employee needs; it strengthens productivity, retention, and cohesion.
Research shows that inclusive, supportive workplaces—particularly those that embrace neurodivergent employees—unlock innovation, engagement, and stronger collaboration. In short, building mentally healthy workplaces is both a moral imperative and a competitive advantage.
As part of its overall Thriving Together initiative, SHRM Foundation equips HR professionals, managers, and business leaders with tools, case studies, and strategies to address both mental health outcomes and the upstream challenges that shape them.
Employers have an urgent opportunity—and responsibility—to ensure employees can thrive mentally and emotionally.
- Assess: Audit benefits, culture, and employee perceptions.
- Implement: Introduce policies, benefits, and programs that support mental health.
- Equip: Train managers and HR teams in mental health literacy.
- Evaluate: Track progress with employee feedback and productivity data.
- Sustain: Embed mental health into the core of organizational culture.
Join the SHRM Foundation in advancing mentally healthy workplaces—where individuals and organizations thrive together.
Research
Provides a comprehensive snapshot of employer practices, barriers, and opportunities for workplace mental health.
Published by SHRM
This research explores employee perceptions of psychological safety, work life harmony, respect, and the importance of mental health supports in U.S. workplaces.
Published by American Psychological Association
This research summary reviews 50 prior studies to examine how employee mental health influences workplace learning systems, participatory practices, emotions, and the role of gratitude in organizational settings.
Published by the Journal of International Conference Proceedings
Resources and Tools
Practical guidance for HR leaders to implement workplace mental health policies and supports.
Training program to equip HR professionals and managers with knowledge and tools to support employee mental health.
Explores leading employer practices and benefit innovations for workforce mental health.
Funders and Partners
