The profound technological changes heralded by AI have created much hype, but they also bring hope. Hope that technology can transform the workplace for the better, particularly when it comes to supporting employee mental health.
For employers, a focus on mental health isn’t just a human imperative – it’s an economic one too. Research from Oxford University shows that workplace wellbeing directly impacts productivity. A single-point rise in company happiness (on a 1-5 scale) can drive an astonishing $2-3 billion boost in annual profits.
With the calendar turned to 2025, Unmind conducted a survey of 2,500 employees, HR leaders and C-suite executives in the U.S., uncovering top workplace mental health trends to watch this year. The findings are clear: optimism around AI is rising, and the understanding that mental wellbeing fuels business success has never been sharper. The result? A year of unprecedented innovation in workplace mental
AI Powers the Full Spectrum of Mental Health Support
In our survey, the vast majority of respondents (60%) said AI will play a significant role in addressing mental health challenges by 2030. To answer that bell, AI will need to touch the full spectrum of mental health support made available to the workforce. Chief among the desired features is AI coaching, as 77% of respondents said they’d be likely to use an AI coach. Coaching features, from regular training on empathy and emotional intelligence, to mental health check-in prompts and scripts, and AI-generated suggestions for improving team wellbeing, will be driven by AI.
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We’re no longer just talking theory here. The practical implications of AI in the workplace are already taking shape, and it’s clear that AI is transforming how we think about mental health support. AI should never be viewed as a cure-all, but the potential it holds is extraordinary. When it comes to therapy, the evidence is compelling. 63% of employees believe that AI could replace traditional therapy for the majority of employees by 2030.
To stay ahead of the curve, HR leaders should start planning to integrate AI within their organizations’ mental health support offerings. HR leaders should look to optimize existing mental health support, making use of the current AI tools available, and setting the foundation for an AI-driven mental health support system. But remember this: to achieve the most significant improvements in employee mental health, companies should look to use AI to complement and augment human capabilities rather than replace them.
EAPs Get An Upgrade
Employee assistance programs (EAPs), introduced nearly 80 years ago to help employees with personal and professional challenges, have been invaluable to those in need over time. But with the rapidly changing demands of the modern workplace, HR leaders need to rethink how these programs are structured and integrated to better support today’s workforce.
While EAPs still serve an important role, many employees aren’t fully aware of the services they offer or don’t find them as relevant. In fact, 45% of employees are unaware of their company’s EAP, and 38% don’t find the services provided useful. This suggests they need an upgrade to meet the complex needs of employees today.
A key reason is that many traditional EAPs lack robust mental health support. Our survey found that 64% of respondents believe mental health tools should be integrated into EAPs, with 47% calling for on-demand therapy and coaching access, and 41% for AI-driven coaching. The future of EAPs will involve seamlessly integrating prevention, early intervention, and responsive care into platforms that align with today’s digital-first culture.
For HR leaders with existing EAPs, the focus should be on enhancing these programs with complementary services. Integrating an AI coach alongside traditional support can offer proactive guidance, directing employees to the right resources and offering real-time assistance when needed. This kind of blended support ensures employees receive timely and relevant help.
To make EAPs more effective, HR leaders should also look at removing barriers to access. By incorporating familiar platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams, employees can easily access support in the flow of their work. Additionally, providing multilingual options and 24/7 availability across time zones will ensure EAPs are more accessible and inclusive, meeting the needs of a diverse and global workforce.
Therapy and Coaching Become Workplace Essentials
In 2025, the stigma around mental health – in and out of the workplace – continues to decrease rapidly. Seventy-three percent of respondents find free therapy or coaching extremely or very valuable, and 85% believe these services should be a priority for organizations. Those numbers only figure to increase as Generation Alpha enters the workforce.
As work environments continue to evolve, the need for bespoke support is likely to increase to ensure that employees can adapt to changing work dynamics. Companies that incorporate therapy and coaching into their wellbeing strategies will ultimately see greater wellbeing and performance.
In order to do that, HR leaders should begin with an assessment of their organizations’ mental health needs, identifying specific areas where coaching and therapy would be of benefit. Then, taking a hybrid approach to implementation that offers both traditional and AI-powered coaching fosters a personalized, human-centered approach to mental health support. Finally, HR leaders should ensure that wellbeing is built into their company-wide cultures, by incorporating mental health support into HR policies and practices, including recruitment, onboarding, performance reviews and training.
2025 is clearly shaping up to be a pivotal year for many industries, and workplace mental health will be included in the shifting dynamics we’ll see this year. Workers yearn for mental health support in the workplace, and the continued advancement of AI is enabling that support at scale. Organizations that can fully embrace both the changing needs of their employees and the rapidly advancing technology to best support them will future-proof themselves for the decade ahead.
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