During challenging times, the responsibilities of work – on top of life obligations and the weight of the chaos in today’s world – can feel overwhelming. For an increasing number of people, the pressures of work and life can take a toll on mental health, leading to a need to step away from work entirely.

More workers are feeling overwhelmed by challenges at work and at home. According to our 2025 Workforce State of Mind report, 4 in 10 employees reported taking a leave of absence (LoA) to care for their own mental health.

An LoA impacts not only the person taking the leave, but their whole team at work – and the larger company. HR leaders have an opportunity to evaluate how to best support their employees before, during, and after an LoA to ensure employees have the space and resources to care for their mental health – and even prevent leaves before they occur.

How mental health LoAs impact teams – and broader organizations

Mental health LoAs serve as an opportunity for a person to step away from work responsibilities, reduce stress, and come back to work re-energized and focused. This time away can be impactful for both the person and the organization, since poor mental health can have far-reaching impacts on businesses and workers. 

When an employee is struggling with their mental wellbeing, it takes a toll on their health and their ability to show up to work. Poor mental health can result in increased presenteeism and absenteeism and reduced productivity – something that can be felt by the individual and their team.

Poor mental health can also impact a person’s physical health. For example, people with diabetes are 2-3x more likely to have depression than people without diabetes. These comorbidities are costly. A 2020 Milliman report found that average annual healthcare costs for those with mental health conditions are 2.8-6.2 times higher than those without a mental health condition. Together, this can lead to higher healthcare costs for both individuals and their employer. A mental health LoA can be a sign that an employee has reached a point of unsustainable stress and burnout, whether from home life, work life, or a combination of the two.

Supporting employees through mental health LoAs

Once a person makes the difficult decision to take a mental health LoA, it opens an opportunity for HR teams and managers to provide wraparound support and guidance to the employee, ensuring that they can transition smoothly in and out of their leave and make the most of that time.

4 in 5 HR leaders say they have a policy in place for mental health-related leaves of absence, and 7 in 10 report providing resources to get back to work after a mental health leave. Unfortunately, many employees who take mental health leaves don’t feel these resources and policies are adequate.

62% of employees did not feel fully supported when discussing their mental health-related LoA with their manager or HR, and 56% did not feel fully supported upon returning to work after their leave. This suggests that policies to support employees taking mental health leaves may not be as effective or comprehensive as leaders intended.

HR leaders can take steps to ensure that employees feel supported through every step of their leave and are empowered to come back to work refreshed and renewed. For example, by creating written, clear guidelines about how HR and team managers should support employees who take mental health-related leaves of absence, they can create a structure that results in comprehensive support. They should include templates for offboarding and onboarding an employee for a leave, and socialize the policies so employees know it’s an option. In addition, HR leaders should make sure that their EAP or mental health benefit is one that they can lean on for support during these times.

Headspace provides specific, tailored resources for people taking LoAs, like expert-guided content on burnout, self-compassion, and sleep resources. In addition, Headspace’s team of mental health coaches, therapists, and psychiatrists is available 24/7 to support employees through LoAs. In particular, Headspace’s psychiatrists can help secure FMLA when it’s beneficial to a member’s care and recovery. They – along with a member’s full care team – can make sure that leave is a meaningful part of comprehensive treatment, rather than a way to avoid challenges.

How to prevent mental health LoAs

Perhaps most impactfully, HR leaders have a unique opportunity to support employee mental health proactively and regularly, in a way that can help prevent mental health LoAs. HR leaders should consider the mental health benefits available to their teams and how they enable ongoing mental wellbeing.

By providing tools that support everyday mental health – in addition to resources in times of crisis – HR leaders empower employees to care for their minds on a regular basis, not just once they’ve hit a snag.

Resources like meditation and mindfulness content and on-demand mental health coaching can help workers build healthy habits that drive mental wellbeing. In addition, resources like guided content for times of stress or burnout can help build mental resilience – helping people to move through challenging times more easily. These ongoing, proactive resources mean that employees can find better ways to cope with mental health challenges and find habits that maintain mental wellbeing on a daily basis. HR leaders can also provide manager training that helps people leaders spot the signs of burnout to address challenges before they worsen. Headspace offers manager trainings, like our “Leaders as a Lifeline” workshop, that teaches managers how to do just that.

Workplace culture can also play a major role in how employees deal with their mental health. By encouraging open and honest conversations about mental health in the workplace, leaders can create a space where people feel comfortable voicing concerns and reaching out for help. This fosters a supportive environment that enables employees to get support before their mental health worsens.

Interested in learning more about mental health LoAs and how Headspace can support your teams through leaves – and in preventing them? Contact us here.

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