Survey of more than 500 benefits leaders also finds that complex mental health needs are putting greater pressure on workplace strategies.

Lyra Health, the leading provider of workforce mental health benefits, today released its 2027 Workforce Mental Health Trends Forecast. The report finds that 92% of benefits leaders say mental health is essential to sustaining business performance, with 83% agreeing that this has become more important over the last three years. This comes as organizations confront new workforce challenges, including AI and the evolving role of managers, increasingly complex mental health needs, and growing demand for whole-family support.

The seventh annual survey of more than 500 HR and benefits leaders found that nearly half see the growing complexity of mental health needs as the number one pressure employers face heading into 2027. Better support for serious mental health needs, including substance use and suicidality, ranked as the top opportunity to improve workforce mental health over the next three years.

As employers prepare for the year ahead, 84% recognize that expanding access to care alone is no longer enough, and 82% expect mental health budgets to increase. The findings reinforce the need for greater emphasis on the quality and effectiveness of care, ensuring employees have the support they need to stay healthy and perform at their best.

“As the pace of innovation increases, resilience and capacity become some of the most important things an organization can help their employees build,” said Jennifer Schulz, CEO of Lyra Health. “When people can access the right care at the right level, they can find their footing, adapt to what comes next, and do their best work.”

Key findings:

• Measuring ROI: Productivity is the leading measure of mental health benefit impact, and 87% say measurable financial return is a top Finance priority.
• The neurodiversity gap: 79% are investing in tailored support, yet 67% remain unsure how to best support neurodivergent employees and dependents.
• Families need more: Half of benefits leaders say children’s mental health is among the needs they are least prepared to address, and finding the right type or level of care for a child’s needs is their top challenge in supporting working parents.
• AI transformation: Nearly half (48%) identify AI and rapid technological change among the workplace factors most negatively affecting employee mental health.
• The manager mandate: 89% say managers will become more important as AI changes work, and 79% expect them to lead larger teams. Yet 85% say managers would benefit from more support.

AI is changing how work gets done. The performance edge will belong to organizations that give people the care and support to navigate change and shape what comes next.

Read the full 2027 Workforce Mental Health Trends Forecast here.

About Lyra Health

Lyra Health is the leading provider of workforce mental health benefits, serving more than 20 million people globally in partnership with leading employers and more than 100 million through health plan and partner relationships. Lyra is transforming access to life-changing mental health care through Lyra Empower, the only fully integrated, AI-powered platform combining the highest-quality care and technology solutions for members, providers and HR leaders. Empower works in the background to quickly connect members to the largest global network of evidence-based mental health providers, deliver actionable insights to benefit leaders, and free up providers to focus on client care—driving outstanding positive outcomes that are equitable across diverse racial and ethnic groups. Extensive peer-reviewed research confirms Lyra’s transformative care model helps people recover twice as fast and results in a 26% annual reduction in overall health care claims costs. For more information, visit lyrahealth.com.

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