Insights from Mind Share Partners’ Workplace Mental Health and Well-being Trends and Forecasts Report
This year, the American workplace went through some growing pains, muddling through new ways of working after years of disruption. In this article, we take a closer look at some of the larger workplace trends from this year, and provide insights for employers to improve their mental health and well-being initiatives in the year ahead.
Prioritizing worker voice is essential for well-being to thrive.
Return-to-office (RTO) mandates became more common in 2024, with many citing productivity as a core reason for these proclamations. But new research shows that these mandates are not improving financial performance. They are, however, creating significant declines in employees’ job satisfaction. Additional research this year found attrition as a common repercussion of RTO mandates, particularly for high-performers, women, younger employees, those with caregiving responsibilities, and more senior and longer-tenured employees. We took a pulse check mid-year of full-time U.S. workers—86% reported that autonomy and flexibility to get their work done would make their overall work experience better.
Employers have also been struggling to attract and retain front-line workers as they seek jobs with better pay, flexibility, stability, and work-life balance. Front-line workers continue to face disproportionately high mental health challenges given their financial and housing circumstances.
Moving forward, when deciding the best ways to support employee well-being, employers should start with feedback from their workforce—especially on the front line. Employee feedback is a starting point and an ongoing effort. H&R Block reversed their RTO mandate after listening to employee feedback. Volkswagen increased time off, improved family leave policies, and increased shift assignment lead times to support its shift workers.
Employer focus needs to be on culture, not exclusively on apps and self-care.
In January, a moment happened for the workplace mental health and well-being space. A study from Oxford University concluded that workplace mental health initiatives that focused on the individual — that is, self-care practices like yoga, exercise, and meditation apps — were largely ineffective when implemented on their own.
These solutions miss the mark because they fail to address the root causes of mental health challenges. Conversations around “carewashing” emerged this year too—meaning employers’ overstating their claims of supporting well-being while underdelivering when it comes to meaningful support.
Moving forward, employers who want to make headway on their workforce wellbeing need to prioritize a culture change approach. Ikea did this by raising salaries, and introducing flexible working and subsidized child care to improve worker well-being. In less than a year, they saw a 20% drop in quit rates.
Scaling back equity initiatives.
This year, brands like Lowe’s, Coors, and Harley Davidson scaled back diversity, equity and inclusion efforts following political pressure. That included actions like cutting DEI roles and programs, and no longer participating in external equity indices.
But the majority of the U.S. workforce is diverse. Younger workers alongside Millennials, women, people of color, LGTBQ+ people, caregivers, and those with disabilities from all generations represent a new “workforce majority.” Data continues to show these workers face disproportionate mental health challenges.
Most employers remain committed to DEI, since all workers need to know their employers have their backs.
Download our full report for a look at all of this year’s defining trends, and lessons to apply to your 2025 mental health and well-being initiatives.
About the Author
Nina Tomaro, Marketing and Content lead, Mind Share Partners
Nina develops and drives the organization's content marketing strategy. As one of the organization's early team members, Nina has a deep breadth of knowledge about workplace mental health. She amplifies Mind Share Partners' knowledge, research, and resources to support organizations in creating mentally healthy workplace cultures.