The latest workforce survey from Modern Health shows that success is not necessarily about where people work, but rather how organizations plan, communicate and support employees through change.
The report found that while 70% of employees report high anxiety tied to return-to-office, RTO, mandates, 85% also agree that when designed well, RTO can strengthen collaboration and company culture. What’s clear is that employees aren’t rejecting the office outright, but that they feel unheard and unsupported through these periods of change.
The survey found that 81% of employees said they would feel more positive about RTO if they had input in its design and 34% said their employer’s support during RTO transitions were “lacking” or "nonexistent."
“When RTO is designed with empathy and grounded in mental health, it can become a catalyst for connection and shared purpose,” said Dr. Jessica Watrous, chief clinical officer at Modern Health.
The report also emphasized that working mothers and caregivers are disproportionately strained by rigid workplace structures that fail to account for the realities of family life. For example, 69% of employees surveyed found that RTO disadvantages mothers more than fathers and 52% suspect RTO is being used to “quietly weed out” working parents. This gender and caregiving data highlight a structural blindspot in many organizations.
“As return-to-office policies intersect with family and caregiving demands, employers have a critical opportunity to rethink how to create a successful work environment. Employees are telling us RTO can work – and even strengthen culture – when it's designed with empathy, flexibility and support in mind,” said Alison Borland, chief people and strategy officer at Modern Health.
RTO has made one thing clear: employees don’t experience work and life separately. Mental health needs ripple across families – and employees want benefits that reflect that. When employees carry the weight of family mental health concerns, performance suffers – and so does business.
The study found that 65% of working parents say they worry about their child’s mental health during the workday and 60% report making mistakes at work due to stress or burnout.
The report confirms a fundamental shift: the traditional, reactive model of employee mental health support no longer works. Employees expect benefits and leadership to evolve with them – to respond to life stages, cultural differences and changing personal needs.
“We’re entering an era where success and mental health can no longer be separated. Adaptive care models give organizations the resilience to thrive through whatever comes next,” said Dr. Watrous.
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