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HR Executive featured the findings from the 2026 Workplace Mental Health Report by Spring Health, a global mental health company built on one AI-native platform. The piece focuses on what the research calls silent burnout, described in the article as employees giving “the appearance that everything is fine” at work while struggling with exhaustion, driving up rates of presenteeism and absenteeism. The report, drawn from a survey of more than 2,000 HR leaders and employees across five countries, found that approximately 30% of employees are experiencing this form of burnout.
The article surfaces a compounding challenge: more than 60% of HR professionals surveyed said they have seen mental health-related leaves increase over the past year, with about 16% reporting a spike of 25% or more. HR Executive also reported on the financial and operational costs of that rise, from backfilling roles to the hidden medical trend impact of unaddressed mental health conditions. Spring Health Chief People Officer Karishma Patel Buford attributed the increase to macro and micro stressors stacking up — geopolitical conflict, financial pressure, and caregiving demands — and called for more comprehensive, proactive employer investment in mental health.
“HR leaders are more invested in mental health than ever — and yet leaves are rising, burnout is spreading quietly, and too many employees still don’t know what support is available to them. Belief isn’t enough anymore.”— Karishma Patel Buford, Chief People Officer, Spring Health
Read the full HR Executive article at hrexecutive.com
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