Survey finds 74% of American workers concerned about workplace well-being

Results from the “2023 Workplace Wellness Survey” published recently by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and Greenwald Research in Washington, D.C., found that 74 percent of American workers are moderately or highly concerned about their workplace well-being. In addition, nearly three-quarters of the workers reported a similar level of concern about their emotional well-being or mental health and a quarter rate their mental health as fair or poor.

The fourth annual survey examined worker attitudes towards employment-based benefits in the workplace, as well as a broad spectrum of financial well-being, employment-based health insurance and retirement benefit issues.

“What we found surprising is that this is the first year that saving for retirement is not the primary financial stress factor for employees. Instead, we found that day-to-day issues like emergency savings and paying for household bills are top of mind for workers,” said Jake Spiegel, research associate for health and wealth benefits at EBRI.

Key findings in the 2023 survey report include:

• One in three (29 percent) American workers are highly concerned about their own workplace well-being, while another 44 percent are moderately concerned. Approximately one quarter (26 percent) of American workers are not too or not at all concerned.
• A third of American workers report that they are highly concerned about their emotional well-being or mental health and a quarter rate their mental health as fair or poor.
• American workers are worried about how potential economic challenges will impact their finances. More than four out of five American workers are at least somewhat concerned that there will be a recession in the next year or that inflation will remain high for the next 12 months.
• Four in 10 workers feel at least somewhat prepared to handle an emergency expense of $5,000. Far more American workers (70 percent) feel equipped to manage an unexpected expense of $500.
• Down slightly from last year and from 2021, 40 percent of employees are extremely or very satisfied with their benefits package and 22 percent are not too or not at all satisfied. At the same time, seven in 10 agree at least somewhat that their benefits package is designed to meet their lifestyle and/or family needs.
• More than half of workers feel mental health benefits have become more important to offer in the past year and four in 10 feel the same way about financial wellness programs.
• Health insurance is the most important benefit. Fifty-five percent of workers are satisfied with their health coverage.
• Nearly six in 10 American workers struggle to balance work and caregiving responsibilities. Among caregivers assisting with activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living, three in four struggle to find balance.
• Six in 10 employees do not feel financially prepared for being unable to work or reducing work hours to provide care. Caregivers are more likely to feel unprepared (64 percent vs. 56 percent).

A total of 1,505 American full-time and part-time workers ages 21-64 were interviewed for the survey. Information for the study was gathered through 20-minute online interviews conducted in July and August.