Employee Benefits Magazine: Only 13% of HR professionals feel their own mental wellbeing is well supported at work

The 2026 HR Mental Wellbeing Report has been featured in Employee Benefits Magazine's coverage exploring the growing psychological pressures facing HR professionals and the urgent need for more meaningful workplace support.

Drawing on responses from almost 3,000 HR professionals collected over three years, the report highlighted persistently high levels of anxiety, depression and burnout within the profession. Coverage focused particularly on findings showing that 74% of HR professionals reported symptoms of low mood or depression, while 73% reported symptoms of anxiety. Burnout was found to be very likely in 62% of respondents, with more than a third considering leaving the profession.

The article also highlighted findings showing that HR professionals who feel well supported are significantly less likely to experience burnout, anxiety and depression, less likely to take stress-related sickness absence, and less likely to consider leaving HR altogether.

Dr Jo Burrell, co-author of the report, emphasised that organisations must move beyond surface-level wellbeing approaches:

"Support cannot simply mean signposting someone to an employee assistance programme or reminding people to practise self-care. Given the complexity and demands of modern HR roles, organisations should be thinking more seriously about robust, evidence-based approaches, including psychologically-informed reflective spaces, such as HR supervision.”

The coverage reinforced the report’s central message: that sustainable support for HR professionals requires psychologically informed, systemic approaches that recognise the emotional and ethical complexity of modern HR work.

Find out more about our professional HR Supervision services aimed at providing safe, impartial reflective space for HR professionals.

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