8th Annual Report

2026 Workforce State of Mind

The chronic strain crisis

New data reveals why chronic strain is quietly eroding productivity and engagement — and what it takes to build a resilient workforce that can perform through change.

Employees aren't just stressed. They’re running on empty. The slow, relentless buildup of mental and cognitive pressure — from unclear priorities, job insecurity, and the pressure to keep up with AI. We call it chronic strain. When strain becomes background noise, people stop flagging it and organizations stop addressing it, and the costs quietly compound in focus, engagement, and retention.

In this report, we surveyed hundreds of employees and leaders and found a significant disconnect between what employers think they're providing and what employees actually experience. The good news: it's measurable and addressable.

Explore the top trends below, and read the full report for actionable insights.

The trends in workplace resilience—and what that means for employers

Chronic strain has become the baseline. It’s not just the acute stress of a high-stakes deadline or a single bad quarter. It’s now a persistent hum of work that is always on, competing demands, shifting priorities, and the pressure to keep pace with AI tools and changes that keep coming. It's widespread, it's relentless, and most organizations haven't caught up to it yet.

76% say it has negatively affected their sleep
73% say it has hurt their ability to focus
70% say it has negatively affected their productivity

“In the era of chronic strain, resilience is about staying steady when the pressure never fully lifts. If we care about longevity — not just in life, but in careers — we have to build the conditions and the capabilities that allow people to keep going without burning out. The organizations that invest in resilience are both supporting their people and protecting their ability to perform over time.”

Jenna Glover
Chief Clinical Officer, Headspace

“The most forward-thinking organizations treat employee resilience and overall well-being as a core business capability. As AI reshapes how work gets done and how we think about productivity, the organizations that come out ahead will be the ones that have invested in their people's capacity to navigate change and integrate new tools, not just their ability to execute.”

Lisa Mulrooney Gross
Chief People Officer, Headspace

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The employee resilience skills gap is structural

More than half of employees haven't had a single hour of resilience, stress management, or change management training in the past year. The organizations that close this gap won't just have healthier teams — they'll have teams that can confidently keep pace with change.

Only 12% of organizations invest primarily in preventive support
Only 22% of organizations track mental health benefit utilization

Lisa Mulrooney Gross
Chief People Officer, Headspace

Jenna Glover
Chief Clinical Officer, Headspace

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AI is accelerating strain, not relieving it

The promise of AI was a lighter workload. The reality looks different. 70% of employees say their organization adopted new AI technologies in the past year — making it the single most common form of organizational change workers experienced, and one of the fastest-growing sources of pressure. Among workers navigating change, more than half are emotionally checked out, and nearly half feel resentful toward leadership.

44% of employers believe they're equipping employees with resilience skills; Only 23% of employees agree
38% of organizations lean primarily reactive in their approach to mental health support