Mental Health Awareness Month: The Numbers Retail Leaders Need to See
Why retail leaders are the key to a better mental health story for their teams.
Most months have some awareness or recognition tied to them these days. April was Stress Awareness Month. As we roll into May, we bring awareness to mental health. That is a topic that continues to gain attention, as it should, because of its importance to a huge portion of the population. Those who work in the retail industry are no strangers to both stress or the effects that can come from it. We feel how closely those two subjects are interrelated. And for many leaders, who often feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders, remaining aware of your mental well-being is paramount.
Leadership is, in many ways, the art of managing the gray. There are few black-and-white answers in a leader’s role. Business is built that way. We would all love to have the perfect right answer every time, but they rarely exist. This constant navigation of uncertainty is the ongoing retail reality, and it is often a heavy one.
It’s less about the title of a month and more about each of us increasing our awareness of mental well-being and how we support ourselves and one another. Recognizing the signs of stress and burnout is critical, because people on your team may be struggling, and in many cases, you may not even know it.
The Statistics of the Struggle
Let’s start with the industry picture, because it is not pretty. Out of every industry in the country, retail is near the bottom when it comes to how the environment affects the mental well-being of the people in it. National surveys currently place retail in the bottom 10% [1] of all industries for workplace mental health.
The data is sobering:
66% of U.S. employees today report feeling burnout in some form. [6]
84% of retail workers report their mental health has declined in recent years. [2]
One in four reports high on-the-job anxiety. [3]
Nearly half the workforce fears being judged for reporting mental health issues [4]
Only 13% of employees tell their manager their mental health is suffering because of work. [5]
That means 87% of your team members are carrying their burdens quietly, showing up anyway, and hoping nobody notices.
This carries into our retention. The retail industry has one of the highest turnover rates in the country, hovering around 60%. While mental health is not the only driver of that number, it is a significant one. In our sector, 52% of workers have considered quitting because of mental health challenges. [7]
Knowing Your Role in the Room
As Store Managers, District Managers, or higher, we are placed on a leadership stage. We are expected to be leaders. However, we have all experienced people in these roles who fall short of being effective because they forget the human element.
The first and toughest person to influence is yourself. Effective leadership starts by looking in the mirror. You have to ask yourself if you believe in your message and if you are modeling healthy behavior. When you are not, and those days will happen, you have to take action to get back on track. Wallowing in self-pity or excuses won't get you where you want to go.
You are part of your team’s mental health story whether you think about it or not. Great leaders do not create mental health stress. They remain aware of the role they play in the lives of others. People go home and talk about their day and their boss. That dinner-table conversation can be a positive one about a leader who had their back, or it can be a dumping ground for frustrations.
I have watched many leaders, both young and seasoned, approach every day with so much perceived risk. They worry about making a bad decision or answering for a mistake made in their store. You can drive yourself completely crazy if you are always thinking about the what ifs. The answer to the what if is almost always: Yes, it could happen. But then you have to ask, if it does, what does that really mean? Is it embarrassing? Maybe. But is it life or death? In retail, it rarely is.
The Mission for May
The goal of this series throughout the month is simple: build awareness and offer support. We want to move past the generic sayings or phrases and talk about the reality of mental health for those on the front lines.
Over the next few weeks, we are going to explore high-level strategies to protect your mental state and that of your teams. We will look at the daily habits that offer the highest returns for your well-being, like sleep and movement. We will discuss the digital tools and tech tips, such as audio journaling, that can help you leave work at work.
We will also tackle the high emotional stakes of retail. Our teams catch people on the best and worst days of their lives. Whether a customer is celebrating a wedding or shopping for a dress for a funeral, our mental health allows us to stay in role for those moments. Finally, we will close with a survival guide to remind you that you have survived 100% of the situations that have come up so far.
Leadership is an always on role, and everyone is watching. That is a privilege, not a negative. It is what opens the door to allow others to build trust and choose to follow your lead. But it starts with this: you have to take it seriously. The numbers say your people need you to. Look in the mirror today and ask yourself what kind of story your team is telling about you at their dinner table tonight.
You’ve made it through every bad day so far. You’re still here. We can make a difference for everyone.
How do you educate yourself on mental well-being and your own mental health?
This article is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.
Resources for Help
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. You can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org in the U.S. and Canada. These services are free, confidential, and available 24/7.
Recent research indicates that thoughts of suicide or self-harm among professionals have increased to 13%. In high-pressure environments like retail, where we are often understaffed and facing rising expectations, it is more important than ever to advocate for real help. Do not wait for someone to self-identify when they are struggling. Sometimes the hardest part is making that first phone call, but it is also the most beneficial.
StatisticSource EntityReference / HyperlinkRetail scores in bottom 10% for mental health
[1] Mental Health First Aid - 9 Mental Health Challenges
[2[ **Why Retailers Need to Invest in Employee Mental Health**
[4] Most Employees Say Mental Health Talk is Work-Appropriate; Stigma Persists
[5] 53 workplace mental health statistics you can't ignore in 2025
[6] Over half of American employees have used AI to take workplace training, according to new data
[7] Mental health in the retail sector: Insights from a success story
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