American Workers Are Much More Stressed Than Two Years Ago
Stress levels are worst among women, caregivers, younger workers and LGBTQ+ employees, a new study shows.
The share of Americans in full-time work who say they feel "very stressed" about the state of the world has risen sharply since 2024, with caregivers, women, younger workers, and LGBTQ+ employees experiencing the highest rates of poor mental health, according to new research.
The study, conducted by Ipsos in conjunction with the National Institute of Mental Illness (NAMI), found that seven in 10 full-time employees in the U.S. say they feel stressed about the state of the world, and the share of those who admit to feeling “very stressed” has grown from 19% in 2024 to 30% in 2026. More than half report feeling burned out on the job.
LGBTQ+ employees, women, caregivers, and younger workers ages 18-29 all report significantly higher rates of poor mental health, and while 74% say they believe it’s appropriate to talk about mental health at work, only 61% say they would feel comfortable sharing their mental health struggles. That proportion is even lower among HR professionals and individuals in senior leadership positions.
Nearly half (48%) of those questioned said they worry they would be judged for sharing mental health struggles and, among those uncomfortable talking publicly about their mental health, 41% cited “stigma” as the biggest reason for them not wanting to speak out. Almost a quarter (23%) said they feared doing so would lead to retaliation.
The study also found that employees were more likely to support others who spoke out than they were to speak out for themselves: 38% have supported a struggling coworker, but only 15% said they had told their manager their own mental health is suffering due to work.
