Employee mental health remains the leading concern for UK employers, topping the workplace agenda for the fifth year running, according to new research from employee benefits experts Everywhen (formerly Towergate Health).
The 2026 findings reveal that 59% of employers are concerned about the mental health of their workforce – significantly higher than concerns around physical health (49%) and financial wellbeing (49%). Reflecting this, nearly half (49%) say mental health will be their top wellbeing focus over the next 12 months.
The data suggests that despite – and perhaps partly because of – increased attention on emerging issues such as AI adoption and productivity pressures, employee mental health remains a key priority.
Anxiety, workload and cost-of-living pressures driving concern
Mental health has topped the list of employer concerns every year since Everywhen began conducting its annual research in 2022.
Employers cite a range of factors contributing to anxiety and stress among staff, including cost-of-living pressures, increased performance targets, and employees covering for colleagues who are off work or whose roles have not been replaced.
Physical health – including difficulties accessing GPs and NHS delays – follows closely behind mental health in employer concern. Financial wellbeing ranks equally at 49%, underlining the increasingly blurred boundaries between money worries and psychological strain.
Meanwhile, 34% of employers say they are concerned about social health, such as isolation linked to hybrid working.
Mental health outpaces other wellbeing priorities
When asked where they will focus their health and wellbeing efforts in the coming year, employers again placed mental health firmly at the top.
Do any of the following concern you in terms of your employees’ health and wellbeing?
| The mental health of our staff, for instance with increased anxiety as a result of pressures such as cost of living, increased targets, covering for colleagues off-work or not replaced | 59% |
| The physical health of our staff, for instance with the difficulty getting to see GPs and dentists, pressures on the NHS, and delays in being diagnosed and treated for illness | 49% |
| The financial wellbeing of our staff, for instance with financial pressures they face | 49% |
| The social health of our staff, for instance with isolation from hybrid working | 34% |
| None of the above | 13% |
While 49% plan to prioritise mental health support, just 27% will focus on financial wellbeing. Health screening (26%) and general fitness (25%) follow further behind.
Other areas receiving attention include:
- 24/7 access to virtual GPs (19%)
- Preventative lifestyle and behavioural support (19%)
- Retirement planning (18%)
- Caring responsibilities (18%)
- Female health issues such as menopause (18%)
- Serious illness support (17%)
More targeted issues – including neurodiversity, male-specific health concerns and chronic illness – sit lower down the priority list.
In terms of employee health and wellbeing, on what will your organisation be focussing in the coming year?
| Mental health | 49% |
| Financial wellbeing, such as day-to-day budgeting | 27% |
| Health screening in general | 26% |
| General fitness | 25% |
| 24/7 access to a virtual GP | 19% |
| Preventative support, lifestyle & behaviour changes | 19% |
| Planning for retirement | 18% |
| Caring responsibilities, including children and the elderly | 18% |
| Female issues such as menstruation and menopause | 18% |
| Serious illness such as cancer and heart disease | 17% |
| Ageing well/living well for longer | 15% |
| Dental care | 15% |
| Neurodiversity | 14% |
| Male issues including male- specific cancers and men’s mental health | 14% |
| Chronic/long-term illness | 14% |
| Addiction, such as alcohol or gambling | 12% |
| Fertility, pregnancy, baby loss | 11% |
| We won’t focus on any specific need | 10% |
| Weight loss | 7% |
| Musculoskeletal (MSK) | 6% |
| We do not have the budget or resources to focus on specific health and wellbeing needs | 4% |
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Everywhen, says the results highlight the scale and persistence of the challenge.
“We know employers are concerned about a wide range of issues, from health screening to musculoskeletal support. The fact that mental health continues to rank so significantly above these other priorities shows just how pressing the concern is – now and for the future,” she says.
Risk of overshadowing wider wellbeing pillars
However, experts warn against allowing mental health to eclipse the broader wellbeing ecosystem.
Mental, physical, financial and social health are deeply interconnected. Financial stress can drive anxiety. Chronic physical health conditions can increase the risk of depression. Social isolation can undermine resilience.
A singular focus on mental health interventions – without addressing root causes – may limit impact.
Employers are therefore being encouraged to take a more integrated approach, recognising that sustainable improvements in mental health often require structural change, from job design and workload management to financial support and inclusive culture.
Expanding support beyond ‘one-size-fits-all’
Workplace wellbeing provision has evolved rapidly in recent years. Employers now have access to increasingly targeted and demographic-specific support – including menopause programmes, fertility support, male-specific cancer screening, neurodiversity resources and addiction services.
Yet uptake and visibility vary widely.
The research suggests that while employers acknowledge these needs, they may not yet be prioritising them at the same level as mental health.
Clark notes that a broader benefits programme, encompassing both general and targeted interventions, is likely to deliver stronger outcomes.
“It is important that all areas of health and wellbeing are considered. Some will matter more to certain groups of employees, which is why a wide-ranging and inclusive approach is essential,” she says.
Delivering effective support — and return on investment
With nearly half of employers planning to invest further in mental health over the coming year, effectiveness will be critical.
Organisations are under increasing pressure to demonstrate not only employee impact but also business return – whether through reduced absence, improved engagement or stronger retention.
This may require fresh thinking about how mental health support is delivered, measured and embedded.
“All areas of health and wellbeing have an impact on mental health, and the mental health of those around us can have an impact too,” Clark adds. “A full and rounded approach to supporting the whole health and wellbeing of employees is likely to be the most effective option.”
Five years on from its first appearance at the top of employer agendas, mental health is no longer a peripheral initiative. The challenge now lies in translating priority into sustained, measurable progress.
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