The Rising Cost of Living Is Becoming a Mental Health Crisis for Young Employees
'Our latest report reveals that many of today's young workers are quietly pushing through mounting mental health challenges just to keep up at work,' said Matt Levin, CEO of Modern Health.
Share
'Our latest report reveals that many of today's young workers are quietly pushing through mounting mental health challenges just to keep up at work,' said Matt Levin, CEO of Modern Health. 'They're not getting the support they need, which should be a wake-up call for employers. We can't afford to wait until someone is in crisis to act—we need to meet people earlier, with care that's proactive, adaptive, and designed to support the mental health of entire workforce populations.'
Anxiety is the New Cost of Living
Financial anxiety and economic uncertainty are a key driver of mental health challenges for today's employees. Three in four say financial stress is fueling their burnout and hurting their productivity, 76% say financial anxiety is disrupting their sleep, mood and energy and directly impacting their productivity at work, and 68% say financial anxiety regularly interferes with their ability to do their jobs effectively.
Financial and economic concerns are also dissuading employees from taking positive professional and personal actions in their lives. A resounding 74% of employees say they've delayed taking time off work due to financial concerns, while more than half (55%) have postponed seeking mental health care for the same reason. Even more concerning, 69% say they're staying in toxic job environments or avoiding necessary career changes due to economic fears.
Repercussions of Hustle Culture
The report reveals a troubling level of skepticism among younger employees when it comes to their employers' commitment to mental health. A striking 71% believe their employer uses mental health initiatives to mask a toxic culture, while 61% describe their company culture as flawed. Over half (53%) say their employer encourages self-care but makes it nearly impossible to practice.
This erosion of trust is potentially fueling an unhealthy pace of work and worsening mental health in the workplace. A high majority (79%) say they routinely sacrifice their mental health to keep up with work demands, and 77% admit to checking emails during PTO, or avoiding time off altogether for fear of falling behind. Even when employees do take time off, 68% report feeling guilty, worrying it will be viewed as unproductive, or admit feeling pressure to 'power through.' Just 21% of employees say they can truly unplug without pressure from work. Alarmingly, 77% say they've worked through a mental health crisis because they felt they couldn't take a break.
'The disconnect employees feel between their mental health needs and the realities of the workplace is a signal—not of failure, but of opportunity,' said Dr. Jessica Watrous, Senior Director of Clinical Research & Scientific Affairs at Modern Health. 'Many employers are doing their best to support well-being, but employees are still feeling pressure to be 'always on,' even when it impacts their health. By creating cultures that enable people to truly unplug and ask for help without guilt, organizations can build the kind of trust and resilience that helps both people and businesses thrive—especially in today's unpredictable environment.'
The Mental Health Care Gap and the High Cost of Inaction
One of the most urgent challenges in workplace mental health today is the gap between when employees need support and when they actually receive it. The desire for early access to resources—before one is in crisis—is widespread, with a staggering 96% wanting access to preventative mental health support as a workplace benefit and 94% stating that they believe it would make a positive difference in their work lives. Spotlighting the growing care gap, 58% of employees admit they've waited until symptoms became unmanageable before getting help.
The incentive for employers to close this gap is clear. Employees overwhelmingly believe access to preventative support would make a meaningful difference: 52% say they would feel more positive about their company, 51% say it would boost their productivity, and 49% believe it would help them avoid burnout altogether. And it's not just employees—99% of Gen Z and Millennial managers agree that workforce mental health programs positively impact overall business goals with almost half (49%) stating they directly influence business performance and results.
For companies that fail to meet these needs, the stakes are high. More than half (52%) of respondents say they've considered quitting their job to protect their mental health—a clear signal that action is no longer optional. Worryingly, 1 in 7 young workers are actively searching for a new job for this very reason.
'It's not surprising to hear that younger employees want mental health support before they're in crisis—it's something we see every day,' said Alison Borland, Modern Health's Chief People and Strategy Officer. 'For many, caring for their mental health is part of how they stay balanced and show up at work and in life—and they expect their employer to support that. Mental health can't just be treated as a problem to fix after it escalates. It needs to be a strategic priority, which means offering proactive, personalized support that evolves with people's needs. At Modern Health, we call this adaptive care—and it's not only the right thing to do for employees, it's a proven way to retain top talent and reduce healthcare costs.'
To learn more, download the full report here.
About Modern Health
Modern Health is a global leader in adaptive mental health care, dynamically offering multi-modal mental health support that delivers meaningful outcomes at a sustainable, predictable cost. With therapy, psychiatry, coaching, community groups, self-guided tools, and crisis support we dynamically create individualized care journeys to address a spectrum of mental health needs and preferences with culturally responsive providers in 200+ countries and territories and 80+ languages. Backed by peer-reviewed research and a proprietary blend of technology and live support, Modern Health delivers measurable outcomes, globally equitable access, and sustainable pricing. Our industry-leading Adaptive Care Model and dedicated, human centered, operationally tuned, customer success partners make us a trusted partner for organizations worldwide.
Visit us at http://modernhealth.com to learn how we can help you optimize your people and your business.
Methodology
Modern Health commissioned this scientific random sample of 1,000 U.S. adults (aged 18-44). This group was surveyed between June 5, 2025 and June 6, 2025. All respondents are currently employed for wages, confirmed by consumer-matched data. Sampling was calibrated to obtain a representative demographic sample aligned with U.S. workforce statistics. DKC Analytics conducted and analyzed this survey with a sample procured using the Pollfish survey delivery platform, which delivers online surveys globally through mobile apps and the mobile web along with the desktop web. No post-stratification has been applied to the results.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Wire
2 hours ago
- Business Wire
Sensorion Completes Patient Enrollment of the Second Cohort in Audiogene Phase 1/2 Gene Therapy Clinical Trial
MONTPELLIER, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News: Sensorion (FR0012596468 – ALSEN), a pioneering clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel therapies to restore, treat and prevent hearing loss disorders, today announced the completion of patient enrollment in the second cohort of its Phase 1/2 Audiogene clinical trial evaluating SENS-501, the Company's gene therapy candidate being developed to treat a specific form of congenital deafness linked to mutations in the OTOF (otoferlin) gene. Recruitment of the second cohort, composed of three patients aged between 6 and 31 months, was recently completed with the injection of the third patient. Patients in this second cohort were administered, unilaterally, a dose of d4.5 E 11 vg/vector/ear of SENS-501 which was higher than the dose in the 1 st cohort (1.5 E 11 vg/vector/ear). For all patients treated in the first and second cohorts, the surgical procedure was well tolerated: the intra-cochlear administration of the gene therapy product was uneventful. No serious adverse events and no serious side effects were reported. Early signs of hearing improvement have been observed in Patient 3, aged 11 months at the time of injection, three months after receiving the low dose. Nawal Ouzren, Chief Executive Officer of Sensorion, commented: "The completion of patient enrollment in the second cohort in Audiogene is an important milestone as it enables us to attest to the safety of the surgical approach, as no serious adverse events have been observed in all six patients injected, and of the good tolerability of SENS-501 to date. I look forward to advancing this innovative and unique program to its next steps, notably with the planned Data Monitoring Committee meeting, and to providing an update as soon as the data have sufficiently matured. On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to extend gratitude to the patients' families for their trust, as well as all the healthcare professionals involved in this clinical trial.' Professor Natalie Loundon, M.D., Director of the Center for Research in Pediatric Audiology, Pediatric Otolaryngologist and Head and Neck Surgeon, Necker Enfants Malades, AP-HP, in Paris, France, Principal Investigator of the Audiogene clinical study, added: 'I am thrilled we have successfully completed the patient enrollment of the second Cohort in Audiogene's Phase 1/2 gene therapy trial. The good tolerability of patients to SENS-501 so far and the preliminary positive data from the first cohort are very encouraging first steps for the continuation of this trial that has the potential to address a global significant unmet medical need. Once again, I would like to thank the patients' families for their trust.' Audiogene ( ID: NCT06370351) is the first gene therapy clinical trial addressing a unique homogeneous population of infants and toddlers (aged 6 to 31 months and naive of cochlear implants at the time of the injection, as per study protocol). Audiogene's clinical trial design has been intended to assess SENS-501 gene therapy product's safety and tolerability as well as its capacity not only to restore hearing but also to allow the infants and toddlers to acquire and develop normal speech. Moreover, Audiogene aims to evaluate the usability, the clinical and the technical performances of the injection system in development. About SENS-501 SENS-501 (OTOF-GT) is an innovative gene therapy program developed to treat a specific form of congenital deafness linked to mutations in the OTOF (otoferlin) gene. This gene plays a key role in the transmission of auditory signals between the hair cells of the inner ear and the auditory nerve. When this gene is defective, affected individuals are born with severe to profound hearing loss. The aim of SENS-501 (OTOF-GT) is to restore hearing by introducing a functional copy of the OTOF gene directly into hair cells via viral vector technology (AAV). This therapy aims to restore the normal process of converting sound into electrical signals, enabling patients to regain their hearing ability. Currently in the clinical research phase, this gene therapy program represents significant hope for families affected by this rare form of genetic deafness. SENS-501 (OTOF-GT) embodies a commitment to scientific innovation in the field of hearing, with the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of patients suffering from genetic deafness. This gene therapy for patients suffering from otoferlin deficiency has been developed in the framework of RHU AUDINNOVE, a consortium composed of Sensorion with the Necker Enfants Malades Hospital, the Institut Pasteur, and the Fondation pour l'Audition. The project is partially financed by the French National Research Agency, through the 'investing for the future' program (ref: ANR-18-RHUS-0007). The OTOF gene targeted by the Audiogene trial was discovered in 1999 at the Institut Pasteur, by Prof. Christine Petit's team (Institut reConnect, Institut de l'Audition, Pasteur Institute), who also unraveled the pathophysiology of the corresponding deafness (DFNB9). About the Audiogene Trial Audiogene aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of intra-cochlear injection of SENS-501 for the treatment of OTOF gene-mediated hearing loss in infants and toddlers aged 6 to 31 months at the time of gene therapy treatment. By targeting the first years of life, when brain plasticity is optimal, the chances of these young children with pre-linguistic hearing loss acquiring normal speech and language are maximized. The study comprises two cohorts of two doses followed by an expansion cohort at the selected dose. While safety will be the primary endpoint of the first part of the dose escalation study, auditory brainstem response (ABR) will be the primary efficacy endpoint of the second part of the expansion. Audiogene will also evaluate the clinical safety, performance and ease-of-use of the delivery system developed by Sensorion. About Sensorion Sensorion is a pioneering clinical-stage biotech company, which specializes in the development of novel therapies to restore, treat, and prevent hearing loss disorders, a significant global unmet medical need. Sensorion has built a unique R&D technology platform to expand its understanding of the pathophysiology and etiology of inner ear related diseases, enabling it to select the best targets and mechanisms of action for drug candidates. It has two gene therapy programs aimed at correcting hereditary monogenic forms of deafness, developed in the framework of its broad strategic collaboration focused on the genetics of hearing with the Institut Pasteur. SENS-501 (OTOF-GT) currently being developed in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial, targets deafness caused by mutations of the gene encoding for otoferlin and GJB2-GT targets hearing loss related to mutations in GJB2 gene to potentially address important hearing loss segments in adults and children. The Company is also working on the identification of biomarkers to improve diagnosis of these underserved illnesses. Sensorion's portfolio also comprises programs of a clinical-stage small molecule, SENS-401 (Arazasetron), for the treatment and prevention of hearing loss disorders. Sensorion's small molecule progresses in a Phase 2 proof of concept clinical study of SENS-401 in Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity (CIO) for the preservation of residual hearing. Sensorion, with partner Cochlear Limited, completed in 2024 a Phase 2a study of SENS-401 for the residual hearing preservation in patients scheduled for cochlear implantation. A Phase 2 study of SENS-401 was also completed in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL) in January 2022. Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Sensorion and its business. Such forward looking statements are based on assumptions that Sensorion considers to be reasonable. However, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will be verified, which statements are subject to numerous risks, including the risks set forth in the 2024 full year report published on March 14, 2025, and available on our website and to the development of economic conditions, financial markets and the markets in which Sensorion operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Sensorion or not currently considered material by Sensorion. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause actual results, financial conditions, performance or achievements of Sensorion to be materially different from such forward-looking statements. This press release and the information that it contains do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe for, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for, Sensorion shares in any country. The communication of this press release in certain countries may constitute a violation of local laws and regulations. Any recipient of this press release must inform oneself of any such local restrictions and comply therewith.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Gangs and merchants sell food aid in Gaza, where Israel's offensive has shattered security
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Since Israel's offensive led to a security breakdown in Gaza that has made it nearly impossible to safely deliver food to starving Palestinians, much of the limited aid entering is being hoarded by gangs and merchants and sold at exorbitant prices. A kilogram (2.2 pounds) of flour has run as high as $60 in recent days, a kilogram of lentils up to $35. That is beyond the means of most residents in the territory, which experts say is at risk of famine and where people are largely reliant on savings 21 months into the Israel-Hamas war. Israel's decision this weekend to facilitate more aid deliveries — under international pressure — has lowered prices somewhat but has yet to be fully felt on the ground. Bags of flour in markets often bear U.N. logos, while other packaging has markings indicating it came from the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — all originally handed out for free. It's impossible to know how much is being diverted, but neither group is able to track who receives its aid. In the melees surrounding aid distributions in recent weeks, residents say the strong were best positioned to come away with food. Mohammed Abu Taha, who lives in a tent with his wife and child near the city of Rafah, said organized gangs of young men are always at the front of crowds when he visits GHF sites. 'It's a huge business,' he said. The U.N. says up to 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, aid groups and media outlets say their own staffers are going hungry, and Gaza's Health Ministry says dozens of Palestinians have died from hunger-related causes in the last three weeks. When the U.N. gets Israeli permission to distribute aid, its convoys are nearly always attacked by armed gangs or overwhelmed by hungry crowds in the buffer zone controlled by the military. The U.N.'s World Food Program said last week it will only be able to safely deliver aid to the most vulnerable once internal security is restored — likely only under a ceasefire. 'In the meantime, given the urgent need for families to access food, WFP will accept hungry populations taking food from its trucks, as long as there is no violence,' spokesperson Abeer Etifa said. In the alternative delivery system operated by GHF, an American contractor, Palestinians often run a deadly gantlet. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops while seeking food since May, mainly near the GHF sites, according to the U.N. human rights office, witnesses and local health officials. The military says it has only fired warning shots when people approach its forces, while GHF says its security contractors have only used pepper spray or fired in the air on some occasions to prevent stampedes. 'You have to be strong and fast' A man in his 30s, who insisted on anonymity for fear of reprisal, said he had visited GHF sites about 40 times since they opened and nearly always came back with food. He sold most of it to merchants or other people in order to buy other necessities for his family. Heba Jouda, who has visited the sites many times, said armed men steal aid as people return with it and merchants also offer to buy it. 'To get food from the American organization, you have to be strong and fast," she said. Footage shot by Palestinians at GHF sites and shared broadly shows chaotic scenes, with crowds of men racing down fenced-in corridors and scrambling to grab boxes off the ground. GHF says it has installed separate lanes for women and children and is ramping up programs to deliver aid directly to communities. The U.N.'s deliveries also often devolve into deadly violence and chaos, with crowds of thousands rapidly overwhelming trucks in close proximity to Israeli troops. The U.N. does not accept protection from Israel, saying it prefers to rely on community support. The Israeli military did not respond to emails seeking comment about the reselling of aid. Israel denies allowing looters to operate in areas it controls and accuses Hamas of prolonging the war by not surrendering. 'There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday. The situation changed dramatically in March For much of the war, U.N. agencies were able to safely deliver aid, despite Israeli restrictions and occasional attacks and theft. Hamas-led police guarded convoys and went after suspected looters and merchants who resold aid. During a ceasefire earlier this year, Israel allowed up to 600 aid trucks to enter daily. There were no major disruptions in deliveries, and food prices were far lower. The U.N. said it had mechanisms in place to prevent any organized diversion of aid. But Israel says Hamas was siphoning it off, though it has provided no evidence of widespread theft. That all changed in March, when Israel ended the ceasefire and halted all imports, including food. Israel seized large parts of Gaza in what it said was a tactic to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages abducted in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. As the Hamas-run police vanished from areas under Israeli control, local tribes and gangs — some of which Israel says it supports — took over, residents say. Israel began allowing a trickle of aid to enter in May. GHF was set up that month with the stated goal of preventing Hamas from diverting aid. Since then, Israel has allowed an average of about 70 trucks a day, compared to the 500-600 the U.N. says are needed. The military said Saturday it would allow more trucks in — 180 entered Sunday — and international airdrops have resumed, which aid organizations say are largely ineffective. Meanwhile, food distribution continues to be plagued by chaos and violence, as seen near GHF sites or around U.N. trucks. Even if Israel pauses its military operations during the day, it's unclear how much the security situation will improve. With both the U.N. and GHF, it's possible Hamas members are among the crowds. In response to questions from The Associated Press, GHF acknowledged that but said its system prevents the organized diversion of aid. 'The real concern we are addressing is not whether individual actors manage to receive food, but whether Hamas is able to systematically control aid flows. At GHF sites, they cannot,' it said. Hamas has denied stealing aid. It's unclear if it's involved in the trade in aid, but its fighters would be taking a major risk by operating in a coordinated way in Israeli military zones that U.N. trucks pass through and where GHF sites are located. The UN says the only solution is a ceasefire U.N. officials have called on Israel to fully lift the blockade and flood Gaza with food. That would reduce the incentive for looting by ensuring enough for everyone and driving down prices. Another ceasefire would include a major increase in aid and the release of Israeli hostages, but talks have stalled. Hamas started the war when its fighters stormed into Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 hostages. Fifty captives are still being held in Gaza. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and is run by medical professionals. Israel has disputed its figures without providing its own.
Business Wire
4 hours ago
- Business Wire
HSS Ranked No. 1 in Orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report for 16th Consecutive Year, No. 3 in Rheumatology
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for orthopedics for a record-breaking 16th consecutive year and No. 3 in the nation for rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report 2025-2026 Best Hospitals: Specialty Rankings©.* U.S. News evaluated nearly 4,500 hospitals in 15 specialties. Hospital performance was assessed based on various measures, including patient outcomes, level of nursing care, patient-reported experience, and available technology such as computer-assisted orthopedic surgery. The methodology factored in data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the American Hospital Association, professional organizations, and medical specialists. 'We are once again honored to be recognized as a leader in our specialties of orthopedics and rheumatology,' said HSS President and CEO Bryan T. Kelly, MD, MBA. 'This reflects the skill and dedication of every member of the HSS team, who work together to help people get back to what they need and love to do better than any other place in the world.' 'The U.S. News rankings underscore HSS's continued leadership and commitment to musculoskeletal health, reflecting 162 years of clinical excellence, innovation, and patient-centered care,' said Douglas E. Padgett, MD, surgeon-in-chief and medical director of HSS. 'Our consistent recognition as a top hospital highlights our steadfast dedication to maintaining the highest standards of evidence-based care.' Patients come to HSS from all 50 states and more than 100 countries, often for complex medical conditions or challenging surgeries requiring highly specialized care. 'When faced with a challenging rheumatologic disease, every patient wants a rheumatologist they can trust,' said S. Louis Bridges, Jr., MD, PhD, physician-in-chief and chief of the Division of Rheumatology at HSS. 'The high rating of HSS Rheumatology demonstrates clinical excellence made possible by our strong dedication to best practices and personalized care, and by our commitment to advancing musculoskeletal medicine through research, education, and innovation.' As the world's leading academic medical center specializing in musculoskeletal health, HSS maintains among the lowest hospital readmission rates for orthopedics in the nation, and among the lowest rates for infection and complications. HSS has been named No. 1 in the world for orthopedics by Newsweek each year since the 'World's Best Specialized Hospitals' survey was introduced in 2020. In 2024, HSS clinicians and surgeons provided specialized care to more than 248,917 patients with orthopedic or rheumatologic conditions, such as pain or injury to the back, neck, or joints; osteoarthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; lupus; scleroderma; and psoriatic arthritis. HSS performed more than 43,000 orthopedic surgical procedures in 2024. HSS is the official hospital of and provides team physicians to more than 25 high-performing sports teams and leagues, including the New York Giants, New York Knicks, New York Liberty, Brooklyn Nets, New York Mets, New York Red Bulls, TCS New York City Marathon, National Basketball Players Association, Major League Pickleball, US Youth Soccer, and UFC. It is designated a Medical Center of Excellence by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). * Copyright © 2025 U.S. News & World Report, L.P. Data reprinted with permission from U.S. News. About HSS HSS is the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 16th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2025-2026), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report 'Best Children's Hospitals' list (2024-2025). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fifth consecutive year (2025). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally.
