Growing fear for the future: how to preserve the mental health of employees?

At a time when the mental well-being of individuals does not seem to show any signs of improvement, AXA publishes its fifth report on Mental Health*. The goal of AXA’s Mind Health study is to identify the challenges related to mental health and well-being in global society in order to develop solutions to address them. This year, although the sources of anxiety have multiplied, particularly affecting young people, preventive actions from companies and measures such as the Mind Health Self-Check can help to understand and mitigate these issues.  

  
Mental health remains prevalent in today’s society, while nearly one-third of the global population is currently living with mental health disorders (32%), a figure that has remained stable for three years. Young adults are particularly affected, with 44% currently reporting  having mental health disorders.  

  
Globally, concerns focus on three major themes, mainly arising from daily life: financial instability and job insecurity (53%) and an uncertain future in a rapidly changing world (53%). The constant exposure to negative news (45%) is also a concern.

These factors also weigh on the working population, whose mental health does not seem to be improving. Indeed, salary concerns (54%), workload and deadlines (52%), as well as work-life balance (51%), significantly impact employee’s well-being. The number of people taking sick leave for mental health reasons continues to rise: 27% of employees report having taken a leave for a mental health condition in the past year (+4 points compared to 2023), and that number rises to 42% among young adults. According to AXA France’s Datascope 2025, mental health is the leading cause of long-term sick-leave.  

  
Among young adults, the situation is particularly worsened by excessive use of social media and digital devices:  more than half (52%) of them believe that this excessive use impacts their well-being. Meanwhile, nearly one in two young adults turns to digital resources for advice. To address this need and encourage awareness and taking action, AXA has developed the Mind Health Self-Check, a free and anonymous online tool, open to all, that provides a personalized score on mental health. This platform constitutes an essential first step, as individuals who feel well-informed about mental health issues are more likely to thrive.  

  
Against this backdrop, employers have a crucial role in improving the mental health of their employees. By positioning themselves as key players in the solution, they can provide environments which facilitate progress. Indeed, 52% of respondents wish their company would implement mental health support, while only 47% currently benefit from it, revealing a significant opportunity for change.  

Methodology: *IPSOS study for AXA, conducted online among 17,000 adults aged 18 to 75 in 16 countries across Europe, America, and Asia, from October 8th 2024 to November 11th 2024.