Mental Health Leaves Are on the Rise—Here’s What Employers Can Do About It
- Mind Share Partners
- Jul 8
- 4 min read
For the past eight years at Mind Share Partners, I’ve been in conversations with HR leaders about how to better support employee mental health. The world of work has evolved dramatically since our organization’s founding, but one thing hasn’t changed: Most employers are still dealing with costly crisis interventions—like extended leaves—instead of investing in preventive strategies that sustain people and performance.
Mental health-related leaves are on the rise
Employee leave requests have been climbing for three years in a row, with mental health now the second most common reason. According to Littler, 74% of employers have seen an uptick in requests for mental health-related leaves or accommodation requests.
We’re not surprised. Staff shortages, heavy workloads, and “always-on” expectations—combined with global and political stress—are fueling burnout. Our 2025 report in partnership with Qualtrics found that half of U.S. workers are experiencing moderate to severe levels of burnout, anxiety, or depression. Their top stressors? U.S. politics, world events, and finances.
The answer isn’t just more benefits. The reality is, people wait an average of 11 years before seeking support. That means many workers are struggling silently for years—and by the time they reach a breaking point, leave becomes the only option.
What Helps: Proactive Strategies that Prevent Burnout
These strategies get to the root of burnout.
Make paid time off (PTO) matter—in policy and practice.
Encouraging employees to take PTO and fully sign off is important. But, it isn’t enough if the work culture still expects them to be half-available while on vacation. This is both a policy issue and a culture issue. Strong PTO policies ensure employees have enough time off for vacation, illness, caregiving, and recovery. A healthy PTO culture means employees can actually disconnect—no Slack monitoring, no inbox checking, no working from the beach.
Managers and senior leaders must model this behavior—taking PTO themselves and staying logged out. Thoughtful team planning of work coverage helps employees feel safe to log off. When employees return, consider minimizing meetings on their first day back to ease re-entry.
Build a culture that embraces well-being.
Work can be a place that supports mental well-being—not just a source of stress. Start by fostering a sense of connection and community. With loneliness on the rise, creating opportunities for authentic connection at work is more important than ever. Another important action employers can take is to set and protect boundaries. The current workday is becoming much longer than 9 to 5, according to Microsoft. Normalize logging off at the end of the workday. Leadership must actively model this. Know that even in high-demand industries, such as politics and law, this is possible—as we highlighted in Forbes.
Normalize the use of mental health benefits.
It’s important to understand that having benefits doesn’t guarantee they’ll be used—EAP usage rates remain in the single digits. Stigma and cultural cues matter, with research showing that employees are more likely to use mental health benefits when it feels socially accepted. Storytelling as a strategy can normalize the use of benefits. When senior leaders and managers share their personal stories (i.e. on stage or in team meetings) of using company benefits, it becomes a part of the work culture.
How to Respond When Mental Health Leaves Happen
Even companies doing everything right will have leaves. That’s not necessarily a failure—it can mean employees feel safe enough to step away. Here’s how to support them.
Reduce stigma for employees taking leave—and when they return. Make mental health part of everyday conversation, reinforced by leaders, managers, and ERGs. Recognize and uplift health-promoting behavior, like a manager publicly appreciating a teammate for actually unplugging on their PTO. And, share real stories. Hyatt’s storytelling campaign is one example of how to normalize care-seeking in a visible, authentic way.
Re-onboard thoughtfully. Create a structured re-onboarding plan for the employee to re-engage in work. This should include their manager checking in regularly to offer support and remove roadblocks. Give them space to catch up—avoid loading their calendar on day one. Consider a ramp-up week with minimal meetings and clear priorities.
Train managers in work planning. Managers need the tools to lead well—before, during, and after an employee takes leave. This includes knowing how to prioritize and focus on essential goals during times of lower staffing, and being able to question their assumptions on what is actually urgent—not everything is a priority. Managers should also give recognition to workers that are covering workload for the person on leave—recgonition is key to reducing burnout.
Remember that HR needs support too. A staggering 98% of HR professionals report feeling burned out. Mental health leaves and accommodations are often managed by HR—and the rising demand is adding more work to their already full plates. Make sure your HR team is sufficiently staffed, trained, and supported.
By investing in prevention, companies can reduce burnout, retain talent, and create a culture where people can truly thrive. And when leaves are necessary, the right support systems ensure that both the individual stepping away—and the team stepping up—are set up for success.
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