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Employee Mental Health and Well-being

A global business collaboration making the workplace a driver for health
Research shows that work has a profound impact on our health. A positive work experience is correlated with optimal health, longevity, and life satisfaction, in addition to improved business performance. Yet, worldwide, up to one in four employees is experiencing symptoms of burnout, making them six times more likely to leave their jobs. With 3.5 billion people employed globally, employers can seize the tremendous opportunity that exists to advance the mental health and well-being of their workers. The result? A thriving workforce driven by a strong sense of purpose.

OUR FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE

Strengthen the health of your workforce.
Join our flagship Employee Mental Health and Well-being Initiative

Our research shows that employers need to increase focus on holistic, systemic interventions to prevent burnout rather than just focusing on interventions targeted at individuals showing signs of struggle. These systemic interventions include reducing toxic workplace behavior, increasing the sustainability of workloads, and increasing inclusivity and equity.

We provide data, insights, and tools to enable employers to be a positive force in improving employee mental health and well-being in a way that drives change at scale and is good for employees, for business, and for broader communities. Engaging with this initiative offers several benefits to leaders and their organizations:

Dynamic community of peers

Entry to a dynamic community of peers keen on improving employee mental health and well-being

Community events and insights

Access to curated community events and insights that bring you the latest thinking and examples of impactful employer actions

Assessment tool

A free assessment tool offering comparative data of employee perspectives at your organization on mental health and well-being to employees of other organizations

ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT TOOL

The assessment enables employers to measure where they are today on employee mental health and well-being, track progress toward these objectives, and contribute data to improve broader learning and insights. Participation is free for all organizations. We want to create open access data sets as part of our mission.

How does the assessment work?

As part of the initiative, MHI:

  • Conducts a psychometrically validated assessment for employees and a senior HR leader to measure perceptions around eight major workplace environment factors influencing mental health and well-being
  • Measures the impact of these factors on employee health- and work-related outcomes
  • Uses advanced analytics and benchmarking to help employers listen directly to their employees' voices and needs and compare them to those held by leadership to identify the best opportunities for impact

Why should my organization participate?

By participating in the MHI assessment, organizations will:

  • Learn valuable insights about their employees' mental health and well-being to inform which actions will further support a sustainable, healthy workforce and business
  • Receive a customized report with aggregated outputs and insights based on employee survey results and sample employer actions regarding organizational mental health
  • Contribute to the aggregated data set that will serve for broader knowledge development and research on the ways to improve employee mental health and well-being across sectors and regions
  • Engage with peers to share best practices

How does my organization get involved?

To learn more, sign up, or refer your organization to join the initiative, please contact us.

Featured Collaborations

Featured Insights

Article

Present company included: Prioritizing mental health and well-being for all

– A McKinsey Health Institute survey across 15 countries highlights how employers can make mental health a reality, especially for young workers.
Article - McKinsey Health Institute

Heat waves, the war in Ukraine, and stigma: Gen Z’s perspectives on mental health

– A new McKinsey Health Institute survey finds that Gen Z may have higher levels of perceived stigma compared with other generations, but they may be more accepting of people with mental illnesses.
Article - McKinsey Health Institute

Addressing employee burnout: Are you solving the right problem?

– Employers have invested unprecedented resources in employee mental health and well-being. With burnout at all-time highs, leaders wonder if they can make a difference. Our research suggests they can.
Article

Addressing the unprecedented behavioral-health challenges facing Generation Z

– A series of consumer surveys and interviews conducted by McKinsey finds Gen Zers reporting the least positive life outlook, including lower levels of emotional and social well-being than older generations.

Featured Collection

Collection

Well-being in the Workplace

This collection explores fostering mind, body, and sense of purpose in individuals, teams, and organizations for a more resilient workforce and improved well-being in the workplace

Connect with the McKinsey Health Institute