2026 HUMANKIND QUALITY OF LIFE TREND REPORT

When Life Shows Up at Work

Employees are showing up. Personal stress is showing up with them.

Financial pressure, caregiving demands and other personal challenges don’t pause when the workday begins. They can change the focus, motivation and energy employees bring to their jobs—even when attendance looks unchanged.

The 2026 Quality of Life Trend Report examines what happens when personal stress reaches work, and how employers can make meaningful support easier to access.

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FROM THE SPEAKING SESSION

Take the insights with you.

Bring the conversation back to your team with key findings and employer takeaways from Brian Edd’s presentation at BGH’s Leadership Forum on Employee Experience, and explore the full research below.

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WHEN STRESS REACHES WORK

Being at work doesn’t tell the whole story.

Personal stress can affect performance long before it becomes visible through absence or turnover.

80%

of employees experience personal stress at least weekly.

47%

have two or fewer people they can rely on in a crisis.

79%

of workers say life stress distracts them at work.

The opportunity is to recognize reduced capacity earlier and — make the path to support easier.

EXPLORE THE FULL REPORT

A clearer view of the work beneath the work.

See how personal stress affects the workday, where employees encounter barriers to help and what the findings mean for workforce strategy.

Inside, you’ll learn:

  • The impact on everyday work: How personal stress shows up in focus, motivation and productivity.

  • Differences across the workforce: How experiences vary by work environment, industry and available personal support.

  • The gap between available and usable support: Why employees under the most stress can face the most friction getting help.

  • Practical moves for employers: Ways to simplify access, preserve employee choice and connect people with meaningful support.

WHY QUALITY OF LIFE MATTERS

“Quality of life looks at multiple dimensions of an individual’s life, and because it’s a subjective measure of personal experience, it’s the perfect tool for monitoring and managing the human condition.”

Jaclyn Wainwright, Humankind Co-founder & CEO

  • "The time to act is now. By prioritizing employee and health well-being, employers can unlock substantial performance gains, achieve a healthier, more adaptable and more resilient workforce, and drive positive change in their organizations and communities. Employers should not wait. Decisive action taken today can secure a healthier, more productive future."

    McKinsey Health Institute
    Thriving workplaces: How employers can improve productivity and changes lives

  • “Employers have a growing opportunity — and responsibility — to adopt proactive outreach benefits that support employees facing a wide range of stressors and social determinants of health.”

    Humankind Quality of Life 2025 Trend Report

  • “Well-being is the ultimate productivity multiplier. And when companies invest in their people’s well-being, it’s a win-win—creating workplace cultures where individuals can maximize their productivity and creativity, which in turn enables businesses to grow and maximize their impact.”

    Arianna Huffington
    Founder & CEO of Thrive Global

  • “By meeting employees where they are — physically, emotionally, and socially — organizations can foster resilience, improve engagement, and build a culture of care that drives long-term success.”

    Humankind Quality of Life 2025 Trend Report

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For press or speaking inquiries, please reach out to media@humankindforall.com

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