Findings provide insights into the pressures and demands felt by healthcare workers and the support they need from their employers
WellSky, a global health and community care technology and services company, announced additional findings from a national study of the healthcare workforce conducted in partnership with the Center for Generational Kinetics, a premier thought leadership research firm. “Addressing today’s healthcare workforce challenges” shows that men and women across generations view healthcare as a demanding profession, with more than half of all nurses surveyed reporting they needed mental health support due to work-related stress.
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Stress and burnout are taking a real toll on nurses and other caregivers, underscoring the importance of supporting the healthcare workforce.
Key findings from the study include:
Healthcare 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 healthcare workers and nurses named staffing shortages as the top barrier preventing them from performing at their highest level. Gen Z (47%) and younger Millennials (42%) were significantly more likely than older Millennials (29%) or Gen 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 AI can help reduce healthcare worker burnout.
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Healthcare roles are perceived as physically and emotionally demanding. 67% of healthcare workers, 63% of nurses, and 61% of non-healthcare workers see the physical and emotional demands of healthcare as one of the biggest disadvantages of working in the field. 83% percent of all survey participants said they believe healthcare workers shoulder an unfair burden for the problems facing today’s healthcare system.
Healthcare workers feel they need broader support. According to the study, nearly half (46%) of healthcare 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 healthcare 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 healthcare workers leaving the industry. The data included in the WellSky study provides a roadmap for healthcare 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 healthcare workforce,” said Tim Ashe, chief clinical officer of WellSky. “Expanding access to mental health resources, reducing administrative strain, and adopting helpful technologies such as AI 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 healthcare professionals, and 400 non-healthcare workers open to entering the field.
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Source – businesswire
