Hope Starts With Us What Data Shows About Building Supportive Workplace Cultures Featuring Brit Wanstrath
Mar 18, 2026
Brit Wanstrath, Manager of Workplace Mental Health at NAMI with research roots in post-trauma stress and pain, discusses workplace mental health data. She covers burnout trends and rising stress. She explains stigma and barriers to talking about mental health. She outlines who should build supportive culture and highlights training and caregiver support needs.
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Manager Resources Shape Both Burnout And Trust
- Managers without resources face cascading harm: 73% reported burnout and 41% considered quitting, which undermines their ability to support teams.
- Although 78% of employees feel their manager cares, only half say the C-suite cares, linking resources to perceived leadership support.
Communicate Mental Health Benefits Year Round
- Do communicate mental health benefits continuously, not just at onboarding or open enrollment.
- One in four employees don't know if benefits exist, so regular reminders increase benefit uptake and perceived care.
Stigma Still Silences Nearly Half Of Workers
- Stigma remains a key barrier: 48% of workers fear being judged for sharing mental health struggles and 46% of managers worry career harm.
- Leadership role-modeling and visible work-life boundaries reduce stigma by signaling organizational values.