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.

This article is a collaborative effort by Jacqueline Brassey, Erica Coe, Renata Giarola, Brad Herbig, Barbara Jeffery, and Roxy Merkand, representing
views of the McKinsey Health Institute.

October 2022 © Cotton SUH / 500px/Getty Images

 To mark World Mental Health Day Survey scope and methodology
2022, the World Health Organization
has urged making “mental health and The McKinsey Health Institute conducted a global survey in 15 — Access to resources: organizations offer easy-to-use and
countries between February and April 2022. This survey involved accessible resources that fit individual employee needs related to
well-being for all a global priority.”1
nearly 15,000 employees in 15 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, mental health.1
With the growing disease burden
China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa,
related to brain-health conditions,
Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Health outcomes assessed in our survey included:
moving this aspiration into reality
requires bold action and deep
Workplace factors assessed in our survey included: — Burnout symptoms: an employee’s experience of extreme
commitment from a broad range of
tiredness, reduced ability to regulate cognitive and emotional
stakeholders—with employers playing
— Toxic workplace behavior: employees experience interpersonal processes, and mental distancing (Burnout Assessment Tool).2
a critical role.
behavior that leads them to feel unvalued, belittled, or unsafe,
such as unfair or demeaning treatment, noninclusive behavior, — Distress: an employee experiencing a negative stress response,
In our McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) sabotaging, cutthroat competition, abusive management, and often involving negative affect and physiological reactivity (4DSQ
publication, “Addressing employee unethical behavior from leaders or coworkers. Distress Screener).3
burnout: Are you solving the right
problem?,” we highlighted what — Inclusivity and belonging: organization systems, leaders, and peers — Depression symptoms: an employee having little interest or
affects employee mental health and foster a welcoming and fair environment for all employees to be pleasure in doing things, and feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
well-being. Now we examine who is themselves, find connection, and meaningfully contribute. (PHQ-2 Screener).4
most affected—and how leaders are
in a position to improve employee — Sustainable work: organizations and leaders promote work — Anxiety symptoms: an employee’s feelings of nervousness,
mental health and well-being at scale that enables a healthy balance between work and personal life, anxiousness, or being on edge, and not being able to stop or control
by rethinking the workplace via a lens including a manageable workload and work schedule. worrying (GAD-2 Screener).5
of a modern understanding of health.
Research indicates that positive — Supportive growth environment: managers care about employee Business outcomes assessed in our survey included:
outcomes—such as job satisfaction opinions, well-being, and satisfaction and provide support and
and work engagement—are enable opportunities for growth. — Intent to leave: an employee’s desire to leave the organization in
correlated with feeling included and which they are currently employed in the next three to six months.
supported, and with freedom from — Freedom from stigma and discrimination: there is freedom from
stigma or overwhelming workloads. the level of shame, prejudice, or discrimination employees perceive — Work engagement: an employee’s positive motivational state of
toward people with mental-health or substance-use conditions. high energy combined with high levels of dedication and a strong
The insights discussed below are focus on work.
based on a global survey MHI — Organizational accountability: organizations gather feedback, track
conducted across 15 countries and KPIs, align incentives, and measure progress against employee — Organizational advocacy: an employee’s willingness to recommend
nearly 15,000 employees. To learn health goals. or endorse their organization as a place to work to friends and
more, see the sidebar, “Survey scope relatives.
and methodology.” — Leadership commitment: leaders consider employee mental health
a top priority, publicly committing to a clear strategy to improve — Work satisfaction: an employee’s level of contentment or
1
employee mental health. satisfaction with their current job.
World Mental Health Day 2022, World Health
Organization, accessed October 6, 2022.
1
Including adaptability and resilience-related learning and development resources.
2
Steffie Desart et al., User manual - Burnout assessment tool, Version 2.0, July 2020.
3
J. R. Anema et al., “Validation study of a distress screener,” Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, September 2009, Volume 19, Issue 3.
4
Kurt Kroenke et al., “The patient health questionnaire-2: Validity of a two-item depression screener,” Medical Care, November 2003, Volume 41, Issue 11.
5
Present company included: Prioritizing mental Kurt Kroenke et al., “Anxiety disorders in primary care: Prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection,” Annals of Internal Medicine, March 6, 2007, Volume 146, Issue 5.
health and well-being for all 2
 Web <2022>
<Mental health all workers>
Exhibit <1> of <4>

Most survey respondents have Mental-healthand

Mental-health andwell-being
well-beingchallenges
challenges affect
affect the
the majority
majority of the
of the global
experienced mental-health and workforce.
global workforce.
well-being challenges
Share of respondents reporting at least one mental-health challenge1
Mental health exists along a continuum, and the
majority of employees are likely to experience Reporting
some symptoms of poor mental health and well- at least one
mental-health
being at some point during their working years.2 challenge

According to our survey across 15 countries, 59%

around 60 percent of employees have
experienced at least one mental-health
challenge at some point in their lives—a figure
consistent with other global research.3 For
leaders, that means that the vast majority
of their employees are directly or indirectly
affected by mental-health-related challenges.4

Companies have a role to play since the

implications of inaction in response to this
crisis is tremendous. Those touched by mental-
health and well-being challenges can’t simply
be excluded or treated in isolation from the
workforce; they are the workforce.

2
Julia Anas and Kelly Greenwood, “It’s a new era for mental health
at work,” Harvard Business Review, October 4, 2021.
3
Includes respondents reporting to have a mental-health or
substance-use diagnosis now or in the past, reporting to have 1
Responses include reporting having a mental-health or substance-use diagnosis now or in the past; reporting to have sought or considered treatment for a
sought or considered treatment for mental-health or substance- mental-health or substance-use condition; or having listed at least one of the following: high symptoms of anxiety, burnout, depression, or distress.
use conditions, or indicating to have experienced at least one of Source: McKinsey Health Institute Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey 2022 (n = 14,509, in 15 countries)
the following: high symptoms of anxiety, depression, distress
or burnout, reporting a mental-health or substance-use-related
status; see also Julia Anas and Kelly Greenwood, “It’s a new
era for mental health at work,” Harvard Business Review,
October 4, 2021.
4
Caryn Pearson, “The impact of mental health problems on family
members,” Statistics Canada, October 7, 2015.

Present company included: Prioritizing mental

health and well-being for all 3
 Web <2022>
<Mental health all workers>
Exhibit <2> of <4>

No demographic Mental-healthand
Mental-health andwell-being
well-beingchallenges
challenges affect
affect the
the majority
majority of employees
of employees in in
appears immune to most demographic
demographicgroups.
groups.
mental-health challenges
Share of respondents reporting at least one mental-health challenge,1 % Global average (59%)

Our survey reveals that employees face mental- By country

health challenges irrespective of their country,
industry, age group, role, or gender. Leaders 100 100
around the world can consider how they want to
prioritize helping their employees. 50 50

While specific groups may experience different

challenges, our survey data reflect that no 0 0
demographic group is immune. One example: a India Brazil Argentina Turkey Australia UK Switzerland Japan
recent McKinsey Health Institute report found Egypt South Africa Mexico China US France Germany
poor and worsening mental health among Gen Z
By industry
respondents in Europe.
100 100

50 50

0 0
Technology, Infrastructure Global energy Consumer Education Advanced
media, and and materials and retail industries
telecom
Asset Healthcare Professional, Public
Travel, transport, management systems scientific, and sector
and logistics and insurance and services technical services Other

By age By role By gender

100 100

50 50

0 0
18–20 25–29 35–39 45–49 55–59 Manager Nonmanager Male
21–24 30–34 40–44 50–54 60+ Executive Female
1
Responses include reporting having a mental-health or substance-use diagnosis now or in the past; reporting to have sought or considered treatment for a
mental-health or substance-use condition; or having listed at least one of the following: high symptoms of anxiety, burnout, depression, or distress.
Source: McKinsey Health Institute Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey 2022 (n = 14,509, in 15 countries)

Present company included: Prioritizing mental

health and well-being for all 4
 Web <2022>
<Mental health all workers>
Exhibit <3> of <4>

Failing to address the effects Employees facing

Employees facingmental-health
mental-healthororwell-being
well-being challenges
challenges report
report more
more
of mental-health and well- negative
negative experiences
experiencesat
atwork.
work.
being challenges is a missed
Likelihood of reporting negative work experiences for those with at least one mental-health or
opportunity for employers well-being challenge relative to other employees,1 multiple
Most adults spend at least a third of their
employable years at work.5 The mental-health
challenges create a cost for employers. Our
global survey finds that employees experiencing
at least one mental-health and well-being
challenge (nearly three in five)6 report worse 4× 3× 3× 2×
employee experience metrics. They are three more likely to say more likely to report more likely to experience more likely to report low
they intend to leave low job satisfaction toxic workplace behavior engagement at work
times more likely to experience toxic behaviors
and four times more likely to want to leave their 1
Responses include reporting having a mental-health or substance-use diagnosis now or in the past; reporting to have sought or considered treatment for a
mental-health or substance-use condition; or having listed at least one of the following: high symptoms of anxiety, burnout, depression, or distress.
organization. They are also more likely to report Source: McKinsey Health Institute Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey 2022 (n = 14,509, in 15 countries)
low job satisfaction, engagement, or other
signifiers of positive workplaces.

Yet employees may be reluctant to mention

mental-health or well-being challenges, as
those facing mental-health challenges may
grapple with stigma. As observed in a previous
McKinsey survey, a substantial share of
employees experiencing mental-health-related
challenges indicated they would avoid treatment
because they didn’t want anyone finding out.
This terrible paradox can exacerbate challenges
that are often invisible to others.

The first step often includes asking employees

about the state of their mental health and finding
out who may need more help.

5
“American Time Use Survey–2021 results,” Bureau of Labor
Statistics, US Department of Labor, June 23, 2022.
6
Mental-health challenges include reporting at least one of
the following now or in the past: high symptoms of anxiety,
depression, distress, or burnout, or reporting a mental-health or
substance-use-related status currently or in the past.

Present company included: Prioritizing mental

health and well-being for all 5
 Web <2022>
<Mental health all workers>
Exhibit <4> of <4>

Across all 15 countries Toxic behaviorisisby

Toxic behavior byfar
farthe
thegreatest
greatestpredictor
predictorofof negative
negative workplace
workplace outcomes.
outcomes.
surveyed, respondents say
Impact of workplace factors in predicting negative outcomes relative to the impact
toxic workplace behavior has of ‘access to resources,’ multiple
the largest effect on their
intent to leave and burnout
symptoms
Many organizations have responded to the Toxic workplace behavior
mental-health challenge facing employees
by dedicating unprecedented resources to 35× Inclusivity Sustainable work
employee mental health and well-being.7 As
laudable as these efforts are, focusing on
providing access to resources alone may
5× 4×
Access to
lead employers to overestimate the impact resources
of their employee programs. They may be
underestimating the critical role of other Source: McKinsey Health Institute Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey 2022 (n = 14,509, in 15 countries)

workplace factors in supporting employee

mental health and well-being.

Our global survey data suggest that improving

workplace factors, such as eliminating toxic
behaviors, boosting inclusivity, and creating
sustainable work, can be several times more
predictive of employee mental health and well-
being than providing access to resources alone.

7
Charlotte Lieberman, “What wellness programs don’t do for
workers,” Harvard Business Review, August 14, 2019.

Present company included: Prioritizing mental

health and well-being for all 6
 Moving to better mental health and well-being
for employees everywhere
As we have discussed in previous articles, employers have the If you’re experiencing a mental-health crisis, please contact a crisis help
opportunity to move the needle on burnout, to explore ways to help line in your country (988 in the United States). For more information
workers struggling with mental-health and well-being challenges, and about World Mental Health Day, please refer to these resources from
to explore ways to create the healthiest environments for employees. As the World Health Organization. If you are a leader who is concerned
employers open the aperture to look beyond the reactive management about mental-health challenges in your organization, please refer to
of poor mental health to the proactive mitigation of its drivers, they can these resources from the World Health Organization. There are many
reinforce what is—and is not—acceptable. For example, companies may actions that employers can take, including examples from: MindForward
benefit from reinforcing behaviors that leverage the power of kindness— Alliance, One Mind at Work, Mental Health America, and Shatterproof.
which recent research has highlighted as a powerful path toward greater
empathy and compassion for others, along with greater well-being for
the individual practicing kindness.8

We also recommend employers revisit the following questions: Employers have the opportunity
— Do we treat employee mental health and well-being as a
strategic priority?
to move the needle on burnout,
— Do we effectively address toxic behaviors?
to explore ways to help workers
— Do we create inclusive work environments?
struggling with mental-health
— Do we promote sustainable work?
and well-being challenges, and to
— Are we holding leaders accountable? explore ways to create the healthiest
— Are we effectively tackling stigma? environments for employees.
— Do our resources meet employee needs?

A long-term comprehensive approach is likely correlated to organizations

gaining the full potential benefits from improved employee health. If
individuals, businesses, and countries widen their understanding of
health, they may be able reap the benefits of gains in life expectancy and
quality of life.

8
Julie M. Fratantoni et al., “Parenting with a kind mind: Exploring kindness as a potentiator for enhanced brain health,” Frontiers in Psychology, March 2022, Volume 13, Article 805748; Joseph Chancellor et al., “Everyday prosociality in the
workplace: The reinforcing benefits of giving, getting, and glimpsing,” Emotion, June 2018, Volume 18, Issue 4.

Present company included: Prioritizing mental

health and well-being for all 7
Jacqueline Brassey, Erica Coe, and Barbara
Jeffery are co-leaders with the McKinsey Health
Institute, where Renata Giarola, Brad Herbig,
and Roxy Merkand are consultants.
Designed by McKinsey Global Publishing
Copyright © 2021 McKinsey & Company. All rights reserved.
The authors wish to thank Michaella Baker,
Yueyang Chen, Nandita Daga, Martin Dewhurst,
Kana Enomoto, Daisy Follett, Karen Henrie,
David Mendelsohn, Hannah Mirman, Isidora
Mitic, Andrea Pardo, and Curtis Stecyk for their
contributions to this article.

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