A new national survey shows a sharp rise in the number of Americans who say their workplace harms their mental health, underscoring growing concerns about workplace mental health and employee well-being. According to Monster’s 2025 Mental Health in the Workplace poll of more than 1,100 US workers, 80 percent report working in a toxic workplace, up from 67 percent in 2024.

The report indicates that 93 percent of respondents feel their employer is not doing enough to support workplace mental health, a significant increase from last year’s findings. As dissatisfaction rises, more employees say the culture and conditions inside a toxic workplace are driving them toward major career decisions.

Top toxic workplace drivers worsening workplace mental health

Monster identifies several leading contributors to declining employee well-being:

• Toxic workplace culture (59 percent)
• A bad manager (54 percent)
• Lack of growth opportunities (47 percent)
• Increased workload (47 percent)
• Staffing shortages (33 percent)

Seventy-one percent of workers describe their workplace mental health as poor or fair. Only 29 percent say it is good or great. Among those reporting poor or fair well-being, more than half (51 percent) say their employee well-being would improve if employers removed toxic employees.

Workers are increasingly willing to leave toxic workplace conditions

The poll shows a dramatic shift in priorities. Fifty-seven percent of workers would quit rather than stay in a toxic workplace, and many say they would take additional steps—such as a salary cut (29 percent) or giving up vacation days for a year (14 percent)—to protect their employee well-being.

The report also notes that 63 percent prioritize their mental well-being over having a “brag-worthy” job, and 43 percent would decline a promotion to safeguard their workplace mental health.

What supportive employers are doing to protect employee well-being

Although most respondents feel unsupported, the poll identifies practices that positively affect workplace mental health:

• Time off for therapy or medical appointments (50 percent)
• Generous PTO (29 percent)
• Dedicated mental health policies (23 percent)

These findings suggest that even small, structured steps can meaningfully improve employee well-being and reduce the effects of a toxic workplace.

Why toxic workplace trends matter for laboratory leaders

Labs—often high-pressure, high-precision environments—are at risk of many of the same cultural problems outlined in the report. Poor workplace mental health can affect safety practices, communication quality, and team stability. If toxic workplace conditions emerge, lab managers may face higher turnover, decreased morale, and operational disruptions in roles that are difficult to replace.

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Strengthening communication norms, reducing unnecessary workload strain, and providing avenues for staff support may help maintain employee well-being and protect long-term lab performance.

This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.