Mental wellbeing at work: not a perk, but an organisational matter
Let’s be honest: when we hear the phrase “happiness at work,” many of us raise an eyebrow. And yet, the BEF Working Index — the indicator scored from 0 to 100 developed by the Happiness Research Observatory together with Ipsos Doxa — aims to do exactly that: measure how well people in Italy are doing at work. This is not the usual employee climate survey. It is a thermometer that digs into everyday experience, where stress, lack of recognition, and excessive workloads silently wear down the mental health of millions of people.
The 2026 edition, conducted on a sample of one thousand workers aged between 18 and 74, paints a picture of both light and shadow. Engagement and sense of purpose at work remain strong, but there are fractures that no simple mindfulness course can heal.
Where the Problems Lie
The BEF Working Index 2026 stops at 50.6 out of 100: barely a passing grade. In fact, only half of respondents (45%) feel satisfied with their job. The data on mobility are equally revealing: 50% would like to change jobs, while 48% would like to change company.
The critical issues identified by the Index speak clearly: compensation perceived as inadequate (43%), skills not being valued (29%), and the inability to fully use one’s abilities and talents at work (32%). These are not generic complaints, but organisational frictions that translate into concrete psycho-physical distress.
When people do not feel recognised, heard, or placed in conditions where they can make an impact, organisations pay the price in execution, quality, and retention. Workers pay with their health.
This is where the most urgent connection between mental health and organisational models emerges. Wellbeing does not depend solely on the presence of a company psychologist or a meditation app. It depends on how workloads are distributed, how much autonomy people are given, the quality of leadership, and the genuine possibility of switching off.
What Truly Makes People Satisfied at Work?
There is a recurring misunderstanding in the debate around workplace wellbeing: the idea that workers always want more, when in reality they are asking for what is fair. The drivers of satisfaction identified by the survey are both simple and profound: balance between work and personal life, compensation that reflects the level of commitment required, the possibility of deciding how to carry out one’s tasks, and work that feels meaningful.
Artificial Intelligence Divides Opinion
One particularly interesting focus concerns attitudes toward technology in the workplace. On the technological front, the dominant feeling is uncertainty. Only 35% of workers feel ready to work side by side with artificial intelligence, and just 32% believe it could genuinely improve their work experience.
There are fears: 25% are concerned about their career prospects, while 24% fear being replaced. However, the majority remain in a grey area, without expressing strong opinions either way.
A moderately positive signal comes from trust in companies: 38% believe organisations will manage AI responsibly, compared with 29% who remain sceptical.
The Leadership Challenge
And it is precisely within this complex landscape that managers come into play. Organisations need leaders willing to question consolidated habits, listen to weak signals, and build environments that prevent burnout rather than simply managing its consequences.
The BEF Working Index makes one thing clear: mental health at work cannot be addressed with cosmetic interventions. It requires a profound rethinking of time, space, workloads, and power relations.
The data are there. What is needed now are courageous choices.