2d • General Discussion
Are you feeling it? I am.
- Job insecurity and stress In the 2025 APA “Work in America” survey, 54% of U.S. workers say job insecurity is having a significant impact on their stress levels. 31% of U.S. workers report feeling stressed because of their job “often” or “always”. Also, 30% of U.S. workers said they would take a pay cut in return for better mental health / lower stress at work.
- Burnout & emotional exhaustion A recent study found job burnout is at 66% (in 2025), reportedly an all-time high. In 2024, the Society for Human Resource Management’s data show 45% of workers feel “emotionally drained” at work, and 51% report feeling “used up” by day end. Globally, a 2024 survey found 48% of workers reported feeling burned out. Over 80% of U.S. workers report experiencing stress on the job.
- Productivity loss, depression, and organizational cost In 2025, unresolved or untreated depression among employees is estimated to cause ~35% drop in productivity. That translates to $210.5 billion annually in costs from absenteeism, reduced productivity, medical expenses, etc. From Deloitte / Meharry modeling: in 2024, excess costs from mental health inequities alone in the U.S. were estimated at $477.5 billion, with cumulative costs to 2040 projected to reach nearly $14 trillion.
- Prevalence of mental health challenges Among U.S. workers, 84% experienced at least one mental health challenge over the last year. 71% of working adults reported at least one symptom of stress. Among younger cohorts, 68% of millennials and 81% of Gen Z have left (or considered leaving) roles for mental health reasons in the last year.
- Awareness, stigma, quitting / job change linked to mental health From the 2025 NAMI / Ipsos poll: 1 in 4 employees say they have considered quitting their job due to mental health concerns; 7% said they actually quit for that reason. 42% worry their career would be negatively impacted if they disclosed mental health challenges at work. Among managers, 22% don’t even know whether their company offers mental health benefits; 45% don’t know how to access mental health care via employer plans.
- Labor market stress / job cuts, long-term unemployment As of August 2025, the U.S. unemployment rate stood at 4.3%. In that same month, 1.9 million people were classified as long-term unemployed (jobless for 27+ weeks), making up 25.7% of all unemployed persons. The number of people working part time for economic reasons (i.e. would prefer full time) was ~4.7 million in August 2025. Also, over the past year, the labor force participation rate has declined slightly (by 0.4 percentage point). In 2025, U.S. federal agencies have announced mass layoffs (e.g. in Health and Human Services, Department of Education, etc.), which has been documented to generate anxiety, fear, and mental health impacts among both those laid off and remaining staff.
- Global / systemic underinvestment in mental health Globally, over 1 billion people live with a mental health condition. Yet median government spending on mental health remains at just 2% of total health budgets, same as since 2017. In lower-income settings, mental health workforce shortages are severe — e.g. 13 mental health workers per 100,000 people is the global median, with many countries far below that.
What the Recent Data Suggest
- The mental health burden is not only persistent but growing, even in 2025, likely amplified by economic pressures, job instability, inflation, and structural inequities.
- Burnout, emotional exhaustion, and productivity impacts are at record levels, indicating that many people are operating under chronic stress rather than isolated crisis events.
- Many individuals are reaching a breaking point: quitting or seriously considering leaving jobs because the mental load is too heavy.
- Employers and organizations are bearing large but often invisible costs due to underperformance, absenteeism, and turnover tied to mental health.
- Despite increasing demand, investment in mental health (especially in public systems) is lagging, meaning many needs go unmet — making the negative feedback loop worse: economic stress → mental burden → lower output → more economic pressure.
- The labor market itself is relatively tight (4.3% unemployment), but that masks friction, underemployment, long-term joblessness, and discouraged workers — all of which contribute to mental strain beyond the official unemployment rate.
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