It's all about the (work) culture

How new data shed light on our mental health at work and why a lot of our attempts to address it are doomed to fail

We've all had that job. You know, the one where you show up, do what you're supposed to do, and leave as soon as you can. Maybe the work was tedious, or perhaps you didn't quite click with your co-workers. The kind of job where, instead of feeling energized or proud of what you accomplished, you mostly watched the clock tick by, just waiting for it to be over. And the clock never ticks fast enough does it?

I remember mine as it was one of my first jobs. I was working at a garden center, outside in the southern heat all day, and constantly bombarded by the smell of fertilizer, which seemed on most days to overpower the smell of the beautiful flowers I was surrounded by and selling. It was a truly weird juxtaposition for me; yet, it was a job that paid me something, which at this stage of my life was more than I had ever had. My colleagues, often older than I was, didn’t help. They had their own cliques, and weren’t really that interested in helping the new kid out. Without knowing, I was already checking two of the biggest boxes you could check for why work sometimes negatively impacts our mental health.

Maybe you’ve experienced a workplace where people didn’t really talk to each other much, or when they did, it was just small talk that never went deeper. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with sharing your thoughts on the latest playoff game or television show, but sometimes people want more. When we get stuck in the land of small talk and platitudes, people often describe this as feeling like an outsider. Workdays can feel longer, and no matter how many hours you spend there, it can leave you feeling drained. Even though you may not have been physically tired, something about the job just weighed you down mentally. And I bet the moment you left, there was a sense of relief or maybe even thoughts about how disconnected you feel and how badly you want out.

Does that sound familiar? Maybe it was a summer job like me, a position early in your career, or even your current gig. Whatever it was, you probably noticed that it wasn’t just the tasks that wore you out – it was the lack of connection, the absence of meaning in what you were doing, and how hard it was to get through the day without feeling overwhelmed by the monotony or isolation.

This kind of work experience isn’t uncommon, but what might surprise you is just how much it affects your mental health. Cue the lights and stage walk up music for today’s post! New research from our friends at Sapien Labs shows that workplace culture—how we relate to the people we work with and whether we find pride and purpose in what we do—has a massive impact on our mental health and well-being, even more than we thought. In fact, it turns out that these relationships and that sense of purpose can have as much of an effect on our mental health as the relationships we have outside of work.

Let’s dig into why that matters—and what we can do to make it better.

In today's fast-paced world, where mental health is increasingly a topic of concern, especially in the workplace, it’s easy to overlook the profound ways in which our work environment affects our overall well-being. The recent findings from Sapien Labs highlights something that many of us know, but may not have been able to directly point to: our work culture plays a more critical role in mental health than maybe we realized. This goes far beyond the typical work-life balance debate - where so much of the blame is placed on the individual and their inability to manage stress or even a toxic work environment.

The Personal Side of Work: Not Just a Job, But a Part of Life

We often hear about "work-life balance," as if work and personal life are completely separate entities. Nonsense, I say. You can’t live in today’s world without having your work integrated into your phone, possibly even working from home more than you ever have. The truth is, work is a deeply personal part of our lives and something that’s often associated with meaning and purpose. According to the recent report from Sapien Labs, our relationships at work and the sense of pride and purpose we find in our jobs has as much impact on our mental health and well-being as the relationships we maintain with family and friends. That seems like a pretty big deal.

But when you think about it, there’s a lot here that makes sense. We spend a ton of time with people we work with. Being able to foster strong, positive relationships with colleagues and find meaning in the work we do seems to move beyond nice to have—it seems as if it is another factor that helps with our mental health. As Sapien Lab’s data shows, without these relationships, employees are more likely to experience severe symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness, and even detachment from reality (!). Of note, this is not limited to a specific job or industry; it applies across the board, whether you work in customer service, business management, or as a frontline health care provider.

Why Relationships and Purpose at Work Matter More Than Ever

Out of the nine work culture factors Sapien Labs evaluated, two stood out as having the biggest influence on mental well-being: relationships with colleagues and feeling a sense of pride and purpose. These factors were associated with significant improvements in mental health, even more so than traditional stressors like workload or flexibility.

To summarize, when employees feel disconnected from their co-workers or see their work as meaningless, they face mental health challenges akin to those who struggle with difficult family relationships. Conversely, those who enjoy strong, positive interactions with colleagues and take pride in their work report higher levels of energy, motivation, and overall mental health and well-being.

This is a critical takeaway for both employees and employers. For employees, it emphasizes the importance of seeking out and fostering good relationships and finding roles that align with personal values. For employers, it underscores the need to cultivate a culture of camaraderie, team-building, and shared purpose not just throw a pizza party and expect all works out.

Workload and Flexibility: Important, But Not Everything

What I found really interesting is that while factors like workload and the flexibility to control your schedule do affect mental health, they are not as impactful as relational aspects of work. We know that excessive workload can lead to poor sleep, diminished self-worth, and physical health issues, but once employees feel supported by their teams and connected to their work's larger purpose the effects are mitigated. That’s a pretty powerful interventional strategy that I bet a lot of employers miss.

Impact of work culture on mental wellbeing: MHQ scores show significant differences based on how respondents rated key aspects of work culture, with higher scores linked to better relationships and a sense of purpose. Work structure factors are shown in grey for comparison.

What This Means for Our Approach to Mental Health at Work

The implications of these findings are pretty significant. Many companies invest heavily in wellness programs like gym memberships and mindfulness apps, but these interventions often miss the mark because they don’t address the root cause of the problem. I mean they are great to have as options, but let’s see them for what they are - options for us to engage on some behavior change that may or may not be what we need in that moment. Mental health and well-being in the workplace isn’t just about managing stress or giving more fancy tools—it's about fostering a culture where employees feel valued, connected, and inspired - an app or membership can’t do that!

For businesses, there needs to be a shift from the ever popular focus on surface-level perks to deep organizational changes. It’s about creating an environment where teams can collaborate meaningfully, where leadership communicates a clear sense of purpose, and where every employee feels like a crucial part of the mission - not just a bystander. By doing so, companies can improve not just employee well-being, but also productivity and engagement.

Conclusion: What this means

As the workplace continues to evolve, it’s clear that mental health strategies must do the same. I love how this report reminds us that work isn’t just where we clock in and out—it’s actually a more critical part of life that profoundly shapes how we feel, think, and function - for better or worse. If organizations truly want to support their employees, they must start by building a positive, connected work culture that prioritizes relationships and purpose. This takes time, resources, and intention. In doing so, employers will not only create a healthier workforce but a more resilient, motivated, and productive one.

It’s time we move beyond superficial solutions and start addressing the real drivers of mental well-being at work—because in the end, it’s not just about balancing work and life, it’s about making work an enriching part of life itself.