Research & Insights for Workplace Wellbeing

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Establishing Key Domains for Measuring Workplace Mental Health: The Indicators of a Thriving Workplace Survey

Ross Iles; Dianne M. Sheppard

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation

2025 May

DOI: 10.1007/s10926-025-10302-6

Springer

Licence Label: CC BY 4.0

This study identifies five core building blocks of a mentally healthy workplace: leadership, connectedness, safety, work design, and capability. Using data from nearly 10,000 workers, it shows that wellbeing is shaped by everyday workplace experiences, not standalone initiatives. The findings highlight that different industries face different challenges, so approaches need to be tailored rather than one-size-fits-all. Importantly, the research shifts the conversation from simply preventing harm to actively creating environments where people can thrive, offering a more practical and measurable way to approach workplace mental health.

This research reinforces that improving workplace wellbeing requires a structured, evidence-based approach that looks beyond surface-level initiatives.

  • Workplace mental health can be broken down into clear, measurable domains

  • Leadership plays a central role in shaping everyday wellbeing experiences

  • Culture and relationships at work directly influence how people feel and perform

  • Safe environments require more than policy, they need consistent action and trust

  • Job design (flexibility, autonomy, workload) is a major driver of wellbeing outcomes

  • Building skills and confidence around mental health is essential at all levels

  • Different industries face different challenges, so solutions need to be tailored

  • Focusing on “thriving,” not just risk reduction, creates more sustainable impact

© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Springer. The original work remains the intellectual property of the authors and publisher. Commentary by The Well Crowd. © The Well Crowd Ltd. 2026. All rights reserved. This content provides a summary and independent commentary on the original research and does not reproduce the original publication. It is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional or medical advice. No part of this content may be reproduced or distributed without prior written permission.

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