Mentally Healthy 2026 Industry Survey Has Launched
The research series aims to evaluate mental health and job security across the global creative and marketing sectors.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Mental Health
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Never Not Creative has officially launched its fifth wave of the Mentally Healthy industry survey, a benchmark research series tracking wellbeing in creative, media, and marketing fields. The survey is open to professionals across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, and Canada.
Why it matters
The study aims to measure the essential factors for creative professionals to thrive while examining how emerging technologies like AI influence job insecurity and mental wellbeing. These insights provide a longitudinal perspective on industry health following previous research waves since 2018.
The 2024 survey wave recorded 36% of respondents experiencing moderate to severe anxiety and 38% with a clinical mental illness diagnosis. Participants require approximately 30 minutes to complete the current, fifth iteration of the benchmark study.
The players
Never Not Creative
Never Not Creative is an organization dedicated to improving the health and sustainability of the creative, media, and marketing industries.
The details
The survey includes anonymous contributions from both industry employees and leaders to ensure comprehensive data collection. This year, the researchers added new specific questions focused on suicide prevention training and disability awareness within the workplace.
Timeline
The mental health research study series originally began in 2018.
The previous wave of the industry survey occurred in 2024.
A Never Not Human study was conducted in 2025.
The Mentally Healthy 2026 survey launched on September 30, 2026.
The Big Picture
This release marks the fifth wave of the Mentally Healthy industry survey series, extending the ongoing longitudinal research into workplace wellbeing.
Professionals in the creative, media, and marketing sectors are encouraged to contribute their anonymous experiences to the ongoing study. Participating in the survey allows employees to help shape industry-wide understanding of burnout, anxiety, and the impact of AI on job stability.
The takeaway
Maintaining mental health in competitive creative fields requires consistent data-backed insights to identify workplace stressors. Professionals should utilize these research findings to advocate for better support systems and training programs within their organizations.
Further reading
For broader context on wellbeing trends, visit the Mental Health section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Campaign Brief.
Live Poll
Do you trust your employer to prioritize your mental health as much as your performance?
