One Mind at Work Releases New Data in 2026 Annual Report, Revealing How Strategy and Measurement Drive Workforce Mental Health Impact

Workforce Mental Health Assessment Releases 2026 Annual Report: “What Gets Measured Gets Better: How Strategy and Measurement Drive Workforce Mental Health Impact”

RUTHERFORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One Mind at Work, a signature program of One Mind dedicated to transforming workforce mental health and well-being, today released the latest insights from the Mental Health at Work Index™. The Index is a standardized assessment of organizational-level initiatives to address workforce mental health. The Index helps employers measure program maturity, identify priority areas for improvement, and strategically invest in evidence-based practices that lead to workforce well-being and strong business performance. The new annual report, “What Gets Measured Gets Better: How Strategy and Measurement Drive Workforce Mental Health Impact,” emphasizes the fundamental shift shaping workplaces today: workforce mental health is no longer a side conversation. It’s a business imperative.

From the Margins to Mainstream

More organizations than ever recognize that mental health is not a peripheral benefit but a strategic imperative that touches every dimension of organizational performance, from retention and engagement to productivity and reputation. But awareness alone is not enough. As the field matures, a critical question emerges: Are organizations actually measuring whether their mental health efforts are working?

Analyzing data from 149 organizations representing 2.75 million workers across 25 industries and 23 countries, the 2026 Mental Health at Work Index Annual Report examines what happens when organizations move beyond good intentions to build both strategy and measurement into their mental health programs. The findings are clear: organizations that pair formal strategy with systematic measurement see meaningfully better workforce mental health outcomes, including lower turnover, stronger engagement, and greater organizational impact.

This report reveals three key findings:

1. Strategy is the starting line. Only 1 in 4 organizations has a formal mental health strategy, and those that do see significantly better outcomes, including 36% lower voluntary turnover.
2. Measurement drives improvement. Three-quarters of organizations don’t systematically measure whether their mental health efforts are working. Those that do are less than half as likely to report declining engagement.
3. Performance closes the loop. Organizations that connect mental health efforts to performance metrics see the strongest results. Those that don’t see nearly a quarter of their workforce turn over each year.

“What these data make clear is that good intentions are not a strategy,” said Dr. David Ballard, Vice President of One Mind at Work. “If you're a leader who believes workforce mental health matters, the next question has to be: how do you know your investments are making a difference? The Mental Health at Work Index gives you both the evidence and a place to start.”

The Measurement Imperative

The data presented in the report reveal a consistent pattern: organizations that approach workforce mental health with intentionality, through formal strategy, systematic measurement, and explicit connection to organizational performance, see meaningfully better outcomes. The field’s biggest gap is not in resources or benefits. It is in knowing whether those resources and benefits are actually working. This is a call to action for the entire workplace mental health ecosystem: build in measurement from the start, connect it to what matters, and use it to get better.

Download the Report & Join Our Webinar

Click here to download the full report and join us on Thursday, June 18, 2026 12:00 pm ET for a webinar in which we will discuss the key insights as well as actions employers can take to improve their workforce mental health strategy and measurement—register here.

About One Mind:

One Mind is a leading global nonprofit dedicated to improving mental health outcomes for individuals, families, and society. Guided by science and lived experience, One Mind brings more than 30 years of leadership to closing critical gaps between discovery and real-world impact, advancing solutions that improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and well-being at scale. Through a portfolio of integrated programs, One Mind catalyzes breakthrough research, accelerates evidence-driven innovation, transforms workplace mental health, and elevates lived experience to inform more effective solutions. With science as our foundation and people at the center of everything we do, One Mind is shaping a more effective, inclusive, and hopeful mental health ecosystem.

About One Mind at Work:

One Mind at Work is leading a global movement to transform workforce mental health and well-being. We work with leaders to translate cutting-edge science into practical, evidence-based strategies that strengthen cultures and systems so people and organizations can flourish together. Through a global membership community, One Mind at Work provides expertise, education, measurement, and peer connection to help organizations elevate their mental health policies and practices. This work is powered by the Mental Health at Work Index™, a first-of-its-kind assessment of organizational-level mental health initiatives that helps employers assess program maturity, benchmark progress, and drive measurable improvements in workforce well-being and business performance. Learn more at www.onemindatwork.org.

About the Mental Health at Work Index

The Mental Health at Work Index is a self-assessment tool for business leaders who are committed to being data-driven when it comes to workforce mental health. Using the Index, organizations establish the baseline maturity of their mental health programs, pinpoint priority areas that will accelerate the impact of their efforts, and tap into evidence-based resources for optimizing their programs to achieve better outcomes, both for their employees and for their organization. For more information about the Mental Health at Work Index, visit www.mentalhealthindex.org.