With burnout becoming a norm in every other company, employers are dealing with an epidemic where employees are suffering mental health problems that need immediate intervention.
According to Forbes, two-thirds of employees cite job burnout, and employers are beside themselves, struggling to find the root cause and taking the right actions to prevent the younger generation from leaving their jobs.
But what is the best way to find out what’s wrong? A survey! Sometimes, a simple tool can give you the most powerful outcomes. With a mental health survey designed specifically for your employees, you can learn how your employees are doing, what problems they face, and what they think can be done to fix them.
If you’re trying to shake things up and improve workplace culture, let’s learn why you must have mental health surveys in 2025 and how SurveyCrest can help you!
The National Alliance on Mental Illness conducted a poll in January 2025 focused on full-time employees from different industries. Here are the alarming key findings:
These findings clearly suggest that employees are:
The situation is dire, and employers should intervene first to understand the problems and provide solutions. This is precisely why mental health surveys are crucial.
Here are some purposes they serve:
With targeted questions in your surveys, you can inquire about what troubles your employees when they come to work. The survey allows employers to differentiate between individual factors, such as personal issues, and systemic factors, such as poor management.
During COVID, many organizations began using mental health surveys to better understand these stressors — helping them recognize how changing work conditions, isolation, or uncertainty affected employee wellbeing.
Once the factors are identified, you can dig deeper with leading questions and direct answers. For example, you can ask if the workload or lack of resources is the reason for unnecessary stress.
Businesses often have policies and systems that already care for employee mental health, but they might not be as effective as intended. A survey can test employee awareness of these policies and systems and whether or not they find them effective in maintaining good mental health.
The newer generation is quick to leave if the workplace is toxic or has too many stressors. This results in high employee turnover, which can impact the stability of any business. Therefore, nipping the bud can help employers resolve employee retention problems.
Businesses that already have functional healthcare initiatives can use mental health surveys to track their progress. However, it may be difficult to judge whether your programs are working.
In 2025, talent is not just looking for a good paycheck; they are also searching for purpose, empathy, and workplaces that prioritize their well-being. So when companies share their initiatives on mental health, they advertise themselves to employees. The surveys can add a competitive edge, showing employees you care enough to ask and fix.
Even the Investors and stakeholders are paying close attention to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices. Mental health is fast becoming a key metric under the “Social” category. Surveys help you gather measurable data that can be included in ESG reporting, signaling to the market that you are serious about sustainable workforce practices.
Ignoring mental health is risky business. Employees not feeling supported can lead to burnout claims, workplace quarrels, and even legal challenges. Surveys can be your act as first line of defense, showing that you’re proactively identifying the risks and addressing them before they become a legal concern.
When employees feel heard and supported, their performance naturally improves. A simple survey can help you learn what to change, even if it’s small changes, such as adjusting workloads or adding flexible working models.
If your employees take too many sick days or arrive late, these surveys can help you catch the root cause early on. This way, you can support your employees before they become more serious problems.
Employee satisfaction is crucial. Every employee wants to be appreciated and valued at their workplace. You can act on the results by running these mental health surveys and building a happier and more satisfied workforce that engages happily.
Teams that feel safe talking about their stress or challenges end up working better together. But it is surveys that open that door, helping people trust each other more and collaborate instead of burning out in silence.
Not everyone struggles in the same way. Younger employees might be dealing with burnout, while parents may be stressed about balancing home and work. With a survey, you can see these differences and map out a support plan that actually fits.
Burnout kills ideas. Employees who feel lighter and supported are more likely to think creatively and share fresh ideas. Surveys can highlight all the stress points holding employees back, and fixing them can keep the creative juices flowing.
Performing surveys is not enough; what you do with the collected data matters most. This is why taking the right actions influenced by the data you receive is essential.
Here are some ways you can use the data to improve the mental health of your employees.
Surveys often show that employees don’t feel comfortable opening up to their managers, and sometimes it is simply because managers don’t really know what to say. Use the results from the data to train your managers.
They should be able to:
If the survey screams “too many late-night emails” or “back-to-back meetings,” then you need to fix your policies. Set clear boundaries for after-work hours and cut down on unnecessary meetings. These changes alone can relieve your employees’ stress.
Not every employee faces the same issues. One department may be constantly overworked, while the others may have concerns and no appreciation. So, instead of rolling out blanket fixes, use your data to create focused plans where they’re needed most.
You’d be surprised how many employees don’t even know what mental health resources they already have. Plan awareness activities and tell your employees about the company’s mental health resources.
Don’t just collect answers and disappear. Share what you learned, be open about what’s changing, and check in again later.
Use your survey insights alongside business metrics to show the bigger impact. When leaders see the numbers align with human stories, it becomes much easier to keep mental health high on the priority list.
You don’t just “design” a mental health survey; it’s way more than typing up a bunch of questions.
If you want employees to be honest and give you feedback you can use, the survey has to feel safe, simple, and meaningful to them. We suggest designing a survey that’s qualitative and quantitative so you can get short and detailed answers. Here’s how you can do that:
People won’t open up if they feel like their answers can be traced back to them. Make anonymity crystal clear. The safer they feel, the more honest the responses will be.
Skip the jargon. Your questions should be easy to read and answer quickly. Instead of “How would you rate your psychological safety in this workplace?” you could ask, “Do you feel comfortable speaking up about challenges at work?”
Multiple-choice questions give quick data, but open-ended questions let employees explain the “why” behind their answers, allowing for more detailed answers.
Don’t ask everything under the sun. Stick to the areas that matter most: workload, support from managers, flexibility, awareness of resources, and overall stress levels. A shorter, focused survey will get more honest responses than a 30-minute marathon.
Try the survey with a small group first. Their feedback will tell you if your questions are too vague, personal, or confusing. Fix those issues before sending it to the whole company.
Employees will want to know: “What happens with my answers?” So be upfront and let them know their feedback will be reviewed and used.
Times are changing, and mental health is a topic of discussion at every table. It is no longer a nice-to-have but a business essential. If your employees struggle with burnout, stress, and disengagement, that can lead to serious concerns.
A well-designed mental health survey is simple but a potent tool that companies can use to really understand what their employees are going through.
Asking the right questions and then acting on the feedback can show your employees that you care for them and can build a culture that makes them feel safe. With SurveyCrest, you can design a wellness survey that’s simple, effective, and truly centered around your team’s needs.
Artificial intelligence is not just a word people can use to look cool in meetings. It has become a business…
Whenever we are stuck in a pickle and want answers, our first response is to Google it. Want to know…
Businesses gear up every holiday season, knowing that holiday shopping is more than just festive cheer. It is the defining…
Imagine you’re walking down the street and come across various homeless and poor people. One of the possible reactions you’ll…
Technological advancements have completely changed the world as we know it. What used to be the traditional door-to-door research strategy…
In an age where consumer preferences shift at lightning speed, businesses fly in the face of a crucial question: How…