The HR Mental Wellbeing Report 2026 has been published by Ultimate Resilience in partnership with Everywhen. This in-depth review of the mental health of the very people there to support the workforce reveals that only 13% of HR professionals feel their own mental wellbeing is well supported at work.
Higher levels of depression
Symptoms of low mood and depression were found to affect three quarters (74%) of HR professionals. Throughout, the report considers the results for HR professionals alongside statistics for the general population, and in terms of low mood and depression, the results were 2.4 times higher in HR than in UK society as a whole. Almost half the respondents (44%) have symptoms of depression deemed clinically significant, compared with 18% in the general population.2
Anxiety at clinically significant levels
Symptoms of anxiety were reported by 73% of respondents, with 40% meeting the threshold for clinically significant symptoms. This is some 2.6 times higher than rates seen in the general population (15%).
Dr Felicity Baker, Clinical Psychologist, Co-founder of Ultimate Resilience and co-author of the report, said: “The fact that clinically significant symptoms of anxiety are reported at more than double the rate seen in the general population highlights the urgent need for organisations to recognise the personal impact of HR work and provide more meaningful psychological support for HR teams.”
High risk of burnout
The survey found that burnout is ‘very likely’ in 62% of respondents, and a further 12% are ‘at risk’ of burnout. These are worryingly high figures among the very people often best placed to help prevent burnout in the workforce.
Debra Clark, Head of Wellbeing at Everywhen, commented: “HR professionals can have a tendency to worry more about their workforce than themselves. While this is admirable, our report highlights that they must sometimes put themselves first if they are to remain strong and well enough to robustly support those around them.”
HR not accessing support
The survey showed that only 24% of respondents said they had used employee benefits to support their own mental wellbeing. In contrast, 68% had not, and a further 8% reported having no access to employee benefits.
Clark added: “Despite the high levels of stress and mental health challenges reported throughout the survey, so few HR professionals are accessing mental wellbeing support themselves. If HR professionals are not accessing support, are their colleagues?”
Profession at risk
It is perhaps not surprising then that well over a third (38%) are considering leaving the HR profession. Based on the responses from almost 3,000 HR Professionals across the three years the survey has been conducted, the findings suggest the challenges are not short term but an entrenched occupational wellbeing issue requiring sustained attention.
Dr Jo Burrell, Clinical psychologist, Co-founder of Ultimate Resilience and co-author of the report, said: “After three years of data, one message has become impossible to ignore: this is not a temporary wobble or the aftermath of a difficult period – this is a sustained pattern of psychological strain within the HR profession. Too many HR professionals are navigating significant pressure, competing demands and emotionally complex situations without the level of support that the role now requires.”
Good news: support makes a difference
Crucially, the research also highlights a clear and hopeful message: support matters. Findings from the last two years of the survey consistently show that feeling well supported at work is strongly associated with better outcomes for HR professionals. Those who report good levels of support are significantly less likely to experience symptoms of burnout, anxiety and depression, less likely to take stress-related sickness absence, and less likely to consider leaving the profession.
Yet despite this, the number of those HR professionals who report feeling well supported in relation to their own mental wellbeing remains consistently low. The report shows that while self-care has a place, it is not enough on its own: organisations must invest in robust, psychologically informed systems of support for the people tasked with supporting everyone else.
Iain Laws CEO, Health & Benefits, Everywhen, offered: “The HR Mental Wellbeing Report 2026 highlights a critical gap between the mental health needs of HR professionals and the support they receive. Employee wellbeing and benefit programmes play a pivotal role in addressing this challenge, so it is notable that only a minority of HR professional make use of the support which is available from their employers. This highlights an ongoing need and opportunity in three key areas. Firstly, to ensure current benefit offerings align with the unique needs of HR professionals, including access to tailored mental health support and structured supervision. Secondly, to develop clear communication strategies to increase understanding and uptake of benefits among HR teams. Finally, to implement proactive, integrated wellbeing initiatives that reduce stress, build resilience and support sustainable workloads. These three things will make a tangible difference to the wellbeing of HR professionals and will ultimately benefit their overall businesses as well as their workforces.”
The full report can be downloaded from:
https://www.ultimateresilience.co.uk/hr-mental-wellbeing-report
