Majority of Employees at Large Organizations Say It’s OK to Talk About Mental Health at Work

Mental health continues to be a controversial topic, particularly when it comes to discussion in the workplace.

For example, over three-quarters (77%) of U.S. employees would feel comfortable if their co-workers talked to them about their mental health struggles at work. However, only 58% of employees are comfortable sharing their mental health struggles at work, according to results from an online survey published this morning by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

The poll was conducted from Jan. 4-9, 2024, using the online survey platform KnowledgePanel. It consisted of 2,062 adults who worked full-time at a company with at least 100 employees.

The most common reasons for reluctance to share were fear of judgment (42%), lack of others speaking up (38%) and perceived weakness (31%).

Most workers (86%) also feel it’s the responsibility of upper management to help them navigate mental health issues in the workplace. Yet, only 23% of senior-level employees report that they have been properly trained on mental health conditions or resources.

Almost all (92%) of employees think mental health coverage is essential to creating a positive workplace.

“We have to do more to create environments that are safe and supportive to address this mental health crisis,” NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr., said in a news release.