More than half of UK employees say their workplaces are falling short on mental and emotional wellbeing, according to a major new study that highlights significant gaps in psychological health across Europe’s offices, hospitals and public services.
The findings, from a European Workforce Study by workplace certification platform Great Place To Work, surveyed nearly 25,000 employees across 19 countries and reveal that just 53% of European workers believe they are employed in psychologically healthy environments. The UK lags slightly behind the average, with only 52% of respondents reporting positive experiences of mental health support at work.
The results come despite growing awareness of workplace mental health and a surge of initiatives following the pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, both of which have placed considerable pressure on workers’ wellbeing.
Northern Europe Leads, UK Struggles to Keep Up
Countries such as Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands topped the table for psychologically healthy workplaces, outperforming the lowest-ranked nations, including Greece, Luxembourg, Poland and Italy, by over 20 percentage points.
The UK’s middling performance suggests significant room for improvement, particularly as employers continue to navigate new expectations around mental health provision in the post-pandemic workplace.
The study also revealed public sector employees report the lowest levels of psychological health, with only 48% describing their workplace as mentally supportive. The sector’s reputation for high workloads, limited resources and emotionally demanding work likely contributes to this result.
Healthcare, transport and logistics and retail were other industries with worryingly low figures, with less than half of healthcare workers (47%) believing their workplace is psychologically healthy.
In contrast, technology (62%), real estate and development (57%) and professional services (57%) emerged as the strongest-performing sectors, pointing to how organisational culture, working conditions and flexibility can influence employee wellbeing.
Leadership Disconnect on Workplace Mental Health
A notable finding from the study was the widening gap between leadership perceptions and employee experiences. While 67% of senior leaders believe their organisation is psychologically healthy, only 51% of non-managers and frontline supervisors agree.
The disparity suggests that while leaders may be satisfied with the mental health strategies on paper, their impact is not being consistently felt by employees on the ground.
The link between psychologically healthy workplaces and employee retention is also clear. Workers in such environments are six times more likely to want to stay with their employer and five times more likely to advocate for their organisation, underlining the business case for investing in mental health beyond awareness campaigns.
The study found that even in high-performing organisations, psychological health often declines between the two-to-five-year mark — coinciding with the UK’s most common tenure length, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The pattern suggests organisations risk losing experienced, valuable staff during a critical period unless wellbeing measures are strengthened.
Key Drivers of Psychological Health
The research identified several factors that most influence whether employees feel psychologically healthy at work:
- Managers showing genuine interest in employees as people
- Openness to staff suggestions and ideas
- Involving employees in decisions affecting their work
- Actively encouraging work-life balance
- Fair and equitable pay
- Creating an inclusive environment where staff feel able to be themselves
- Making employees feel welcome from the outset
“The psychological health of an organisation refers to whether the intangible work environment — all the bits you cannot see — provides a conducive foundation for high-performing, thriving employees,” said Sara Silvonen, senior consultant & wellbeing lead at Great Place To Work UK.
“It encompasses a wide range of psychosocial factors such as transparency, empowerment, managerial values, support and relationships,” she said.
Solutions for Employers
Observers advise that for employers looking to improve workplace psychological health, several practical steps can make a tangible difference:
- Regular wellbeing surveys to gather honest feedback on working conditions and organisational culture
- Mental health training for managers to better spot and address early signs of stress or burnout
- Flexible and hybrid working options where roles allow, to support work-life balance
- Clear, fair policies on workload management to prevent excessive pressure
- Peer support networks and mental health champions to provide informal, approachable support channels