Most UK employees surveyed by workplace wellbeing provider Kara Connect said they had access to employer-provided mental health support, but fewer than four in ten would use it if they needed help. The findings suggest that availability alone does not resolve concerns about confidentiality, stigma and possible career consequences.
The research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers between 25 August and 2 September 2026. It surveyed 2,010 employees at UK organisations with at least 500 staff, so its results should not be assumed to represent the experiences of every employee at smaller businesses.
Among respondents, 91% reported access to workplace mental health services, yet only 37% said they would turn to them when help was required. A quarter did not know how to access the support available, identifying a gap between an employer purchasing a benefit and explaining it effectively to staff.
Thirty-two per cent were concerned that using a service might affect their career or job security, while 29% reported embarrassment about asking for help. Twenty-two per cent questioned confidentiality and 23% did not consider their difficulties serious enough to justify seeking assistance.
These barriers can operate even where support is provided by an external organisation rather than an internal HR team. Employees may be uncertain about what information their employer receives, how appointments are arranged or whether colleagues will notice an absence from work.
Professional confidentiality arrangements should be explained accurately. An employer may receive aggregated information about service use without details of individual consultations, but the precise rules depend on the provider and the service purchased. Vague reassurances are less useful than clear instructions about what information is recorded and who can access it.
The survey also found differences between the support employees expected and the coverage they believed existed. Eighty per cent expected assistance for anxiety or depression, while only 57% thought that help was available through their service. For stress or burnout, the corresponding figures were 75% and 49%.
Those comparisons measure awareness and perception. They do not necessarily prove that employers failed to purchase the specified services. Some respondents may have misunderstood what is covered, while others may have encountered exclusions or unclear information.
Management position influenced reported attitudes. Fifty-one per cent of senior managers said they would turn to employer-provided support first, compared with 30% of non-managerial employees. The survey does not establish whether that difference reflects confidence, knowledge of benefits or other factors.
Respondents indicated that practical changes could encourage use. Twenty-six per cent said digital access might help, while 21% valued the ability to choose a therapist. Only 15% identified a wait of more than a week as a deterrent, suggesting that faster appointments alone would not resolve all barriers.
Employee assistance programmes and related benefits are often assessed using contract cost or headline availability. Employers may also need confidential feedback about awareness and accessibility to understand whether expenditure is meeting employees’ needs, without pressuring individuals to disclose private circumstances.
Surveyed employees also varied in what support they believed was appropriate. Some respondents said their difficulties were not sufficiently serious, while others worried about the reaction of colleagues or managers. These responses suggest organisations need to explain the scope of services without portraying ordinary workplace pressures as clinical conditions or implying that every employee should seek therapy.
The effectiveness of purchased provision can be examined without collecting identifiable health information. Aggregate awareness measures, anonymised feedback and clear contractual standards for confidentiality may help employers assess whether staff understand the offer. Managers also need guidance on responding respectfully when an employee asks for flexibility to access support, without demanding unnecessary disclosure.
Kara Connect sells wellbeing services and has a commercial interest in the research. Its findings nonetheless illustrate a potentially substantial gap between formal provision and employees’ willingness to seek assistance. Addressing that gap requires credible confidentiality practices, accessible information and consistent managerial behaviour.
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