Study Reveals Health Care Workforce Stress & Support Needs

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas—WellSky, a global health and community care technology and services company, released findings from a national study of the health care workforce conducted in partnership with the Center for Generational Kinetics, a thought leadership research firm. 

“Addressing today’s health care workforce challenges shows that men and women across generations view health care as a demanding profession, with more than half of all nurses surveyed reporting they needed mental health support due to work-related stress,” WellSky said in a released statement.

Key findings from the study include:

• Health care workers are stressed and overwhelmed. 51% of nurses reported that they’ve sought mental health support due to the stress of their work and 44% of health care workers and nurses named staffing shortages as the top barrier preventing them from performing at their highest level. Generation Z (47%) and younger Millennials (42%) were significantly more likely than older Millennials (29%) or Generation X (29%) to name emotional stress as a primary barrier preventing them from doing their best work. A little over half of all survey participants (55%) believe artificial intelligence can help reduce health care worker burnout.
• Health care roles are perceived as physically and emotionally demanding. 67% of health care workers, 63% of nurses and 61% of non-health care workers see the physical and emotional demands of health care as one of the biggest disadvantages of working in the field. 83% percent of all survey participants said they believe health care workers shoulder an unfair burden for the problems facing today’s health care system.
• Health care workers feel they need broader support. According to the study, nearly half (46%) of health care workers and nurses ranked financial compensation among the top three things that would motivate them to take on more patient care without getting burned out. The need for support extends beyond the walls of the organization: A resounding majority (92%) indicated that the government should make support for health care jobs and caregivers a national priority.

The rising demand for care coupled with staffing shortages across acute and post-acute care has led to increased numbers of health care workers leaving the industry. The data included in the WellSky study provides a roadmap for health care leaders who are looking for ways to improve recruitment and retention efforts.

“Stress and burnout are taking a real toll on nurses and other caregivers, underscoring the importance of supporting the health care workforce,” said Tim Ashe, chief clinical officer of WellSky. “Expanding access to mental health resources, reducing administrative strain and adopting helpful technologies such as artificial intelligence can lighten the load on caregivers and promote a healthier, more resilient environment for those who dedicate their careers to caring for others.”

The national study, conducted in March 2025, included responses from 400 nurses, 400 other health care professionals, and 400 non-health care workers open to entering the field. To download the full report, visit wellsky.com/workforce-study.