2026 Workplace and Employee Survey Report
Financial stress continues to weigh heavily on the workforce as employee well-being dips. Discover the latest insights into the state of workplace well-being and how to apply them to your benefits and people strategy.
Key Findings
of employees report high well-being, down 11% from 2024
of individual contributors are highly engaged at work
of employees say they use AI regularly at work
What do employees really think in 2026?
WebMD Health Services’ survey of more than 3,800 full-time U.S. employees reveals a clear shift in the challenges employees face and underscores the need for organizations to adapt their strategies.
Key findings include:
- For the third straight year, financial well-being ranked lowest among the five dimensions of well-being, while physical well-being is the strongest area in 2026.
- A significant engagement gap persists across the workforce, with individual contributors reporting engagement levels three times lower than senior leaders.
- Middle managers are facing a burnout crisis, reporting burnout rates more than three times higher than individual contributors and even higher than senior leaders.
Here’s the opportunity: Trust emerged in the data as a strong predictor for employee well-being and engagement. Employees with high trust in their organization are 27 times more likely to be highly engaged than their low-trust counterparts.
Download the full report for more insights into employees’ evolving workplace needs and practical guidance to help you meet them.
