- Nine in ten Australian workers (90%) experience some level of work-related distress
- More than one in five (22%) report extreme distress (7+ on a scale of 0-10)
- 61% of workers cite heavy workload and burnout as one of their top three primary contributors to distress, followed by difficult or demanding clients (50%)
New data from Suicide Prevention Australia’s first annual Spotlight Report survey conducted by YouGov reveals workplace distress is widespread, structural, and unevenly supported. The findings prompt the suicide prevention peak body to renew calls for stronger workplace safeguarding and policy to address the systemic factors driving psychosocial distress across Australian workplaces.
The Spotlight Report – a national survey which this year is focused on work-related distress and workplace culture – shows that distress is now a near-universal experience, with only 10% of the workforce reporting no work-related struggle at all.
Suicide Prevention Australia CEO, Nieves Murray, said the findings make it clear that workplace distress is not an issue of individual resilience, but a systemic workplace challenge.
“According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, on average, Australians spend over eight hours a day working which is more than they do socialising, with family or relaxing. Over a lifetime, that can add up to more than a decade spent in workplace environments. If those environments are chronically stressful or unsupported, the impact compounds.
“Unfortunately, workplace distress in Australia is no longer the exception; it’s the norm. This is not something we should feel comfortable with. When nine in ten workers are experiencing distress at some level and more than one in five (22%) reporting extreme distress, this is not about individuals coping better. It’s about the systems, pressures, and cultures we have built into our workplaces,” said Ms Murray.
The drivers of workplace-related distress are clear. Heavy workload and burnout are the leading contributors (61%), followed by demanding clients or customers (50%), inadequate pay (39%) and poor management support (39%). What’s more, one in five workers (20%) cite a lack of mental health support at work as a key contributor to their work-related distress.
The findings reveal that the presence of mental health policies is not enough to protect workers. Only 20% of workers say mental health is strongly encouraged and seen as a normal part of culture, and only 15% say it is comprehensively embedded into their workplace.
Crucially, the data shows that culture acts as a protective factor: workers who report no distress are significantly more likely to say support is strongly encouraged in their workplace (34%), compared to those experiencing moderate distress (15%).
“Having a policy on paper is not the same as having a culture that makes people feel safe to use it.
“Suicide prevention must be embedded into workplace systems and culture. Every workplace has a role to play in shifting the narrative from individual responsibility to systemic safety. Embedding mental health support and suicide prevention into culture, leadership and systems is not optional, it is a safeguard that can save lives,” said Ms Murray.
Additionally, the report identifies distress is not evenly distributed among business sizes, finding a significant spike in distress among medium-sized businesses (20-249 employees), where extreme distress hits 30% – double that of large corporations (250-499 employees) (15%) and even higher again than small businesses (1-19 employees) (19%). Medium businesses are integral to Australia’s workforce and productivity, but these results suggest that while they may be large enough to experience pressure, they may also be too small for robust support infrastructure, creating a dangerous gap between their workers’ needs and the available help.
“We wouldn’t run a workplace without physical first aid, yet many environments remain unequipped to respond to mental distress,” said Jen, who has seen the impact of workplace suicide firsthand after losing two colleagues to suicide in the same workplace.
“We need to normalise these conversations and equip every employee with the right tools and training from the start, such as investing in suicide prevention training such as ASIST and transparent wellbeing initiatives. That way, we create a system that truly protects every worker,” Jen said.
The results also raise concerns for the future of Australia’s workforce. Workplace distress is particularly prevalent among younger cohorts, with 95% of Millennials reporting distress and one in four Gen Z workers in extreme distress. Rather than reflecting generational differences in resilience or work ethic, the findings suggest younger workers may be entering or progressing through workplaces where high strain has become normalised.
Compounding this, 31% of entry-level staff do not feel confident responding to a colleague in serious mental distress, highlighting capability gaps at the earliest stages of career development and reinforcing the need for stronger early-career safeguarding and leadership training.
Suicide Prevention Australia is calling on governments, regulators, and employers to strengthen psychosocial risk enforcement, invest in early-career safeguarding and leadership training, and embed suicide prevention into workplace systems – particularly across small and medium enterprises and high-risk industries. These calls for action align with the National Suicide Prevention Strategy which states the need for safe workplaces, recommending building on current approaches, developing programs that strengthen equitable access to safe, meaningful and secure work.
“Boards and executives must recognise psychosocial safety as a core governance responsibility.
“We’re urging workplaces to embed suicide prevention into risk management frameworks, leadership capability and performance expectations – not leave it to HR policies alone. Preventing distress is not just good for people, it is a workplace fundamental,” said Ms Murray.
If you or someone you know requires support, please reach out. Help is available and it can make a difference. Phone Lifeline on 13 11 14.
ENDS
About the Spotlight Report:
The Suicide Prevention Australia Spotlight Report is an annual survey that sheds light on social and economic issues that may be driving elevated distress and suicidal behaviours in our community. It is designed to provide real-time, national insights to policy makers, practitioners, the community, and relevant stakeholders – and to support suicide prevention activities across Australia.
All figures, unless stated otherwise, are from YouGov Australia. The sample is comprised of a nationally representative sample of 1,018 Australian workers aged 18 years and older. Fieldwork was conducted between 23-29 January 2026. The survey was carried out online.
Following the completion of interviewing, the data was weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest ABS population estimates. This study has been carried out in accordance with the ISO 2025:2019 standards, to which YouGov is accredited.
To get help 24/7, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, phone 000 for emergency services.
Help to report about suicide safely is available online: Go to https://mindframe.org.au/
Media enquiries:
Alexandra Pursehouse, Acting Director, Advocacy: 0423 196 136 or alexp@suicidepreventionaust.org
About Suicide Prevention Australia:
Suicide Prevention Australia is the national peak body and we’ve been providing support for Australia’s suicide prevention sector for more than 30 years. We support and advocate for our members to drive continual improvement in suicide prevention policy, programs and services. Our reach is broad, including member organisations, governments, businesses, researchers, practitioners and those with lived experience. We are focused on an integrated approach to suicide prevention encompassing mental health, social, economic, and community factors. We believe that through collaborative effort and shared purpose, we can achieve our vision of a world without suicide.
