Mental Wellness Is Now A Business Priority In Adland
Insights from 52 organisations on NABS Yay List reveal concern about industry pressures and a belief that supporting people is essential to success
What 52 Yay List Organisations Revealed About Mental Wellness In Adland
Advertising, media and marketing have always been demanding industries. But as organisations navigate AI, uncertainty and constant change, one message came through clearly from the insights we gathered from our donors: supporting people’s mental wellness is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s becoming essential to business success.
As part of The Yay List 2025, NABS asked donors from across the industry their views on all-things-mental wellness. While every response was different, the same themes appeared: pressure is growing, people need more support, and businesses increasingly understand that wellbeing and performance are connected.
“The consistency of these responses was striking- and encouraging. NABS's supporters across advertising, media and marketing agree that people do their best work when they feel supported. Mental wellness is fundamental to creativity, resilience and healthy workplaces.”
| Finding | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 51 companies referenced mental health, mental wellness or wellbeing. | Wellbeing is central to how organisations are thinking about the future of work. |
| 43 companies referenced pressure, uncertainty, change or disruption. | The industry is navigating a challenging period of transition. |
| 40 companies linked wellbeing with creativity, performance, retention or business success. | Mental wellness is increasingly seen as a business issue, not just a people issue. |
| All companies referenced support, safety nets, trusted resources or confidential help. | Organisations see independent support as essential to a healthier industry. |
One finding stood out
More than three quarters of organisations connected mental wellness directly to business performance, creativity, talent or retention.
That matters. It suggests a shift in how the industry thinks about wellbeing. Organisations are not only talking about support when people are struggling. They are also talking about the conditions people need to do great work, stay in the industry and build sustainable careers.
Why is mental wellness now seen as a business priority?
Across the responses, organisations repeatedly connected mental wellness with creativity, performance, retention and sustainable growth. Many described the wellbeing of their people as fundamental to the quality of their work.
“Mental wellness isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s essential to sustainable careers and business performance.”
“Creativity and mental wellbeing go hand in hand.”
“You can’t excel creatively or build brave brands with burned-out people.”
The message was clear: supporting people’s wellbeing is not separate from building successful businesses. It is part of it.
What pressures are people facing?
Many submissions reflected the pressures people are navigating today, including economic uncertainty, organisational change, rising workloads and the impact of AI and technology on working life.
Several organisations highlighted that change itself is not the problem. The challenge is helping people adapt to change while maintaining confidence, wellbeing and connection.
“Today’s world is more complex and demanding than ever.”
“The pace of our industry is faster than ever with the changes AI is bringing, but human brains haven’t evolved at the same speed.”
“The challenges people share with NABS rarely exist in isolation. Workplace pressure, financial concerns, global uncertainty and personal challenges can combine in ways that affect wellbeing, confidence and resilience. Our message to people in our industry is: NABS is always in your corner”
What do people need to thrive?
Another strong theme was the need for more space: space to think, create, recover and do great work sustainably.
Respondents talked about balance, healthy boundaries and environments where people can perform at their best without burning out. This was not about lowering ambition. It was about recognising that creativity and performance are strongest when people have the time and headspace they need to thrive.
The human impact matters
Several organisations shared examples of NABS supporting people through redundancy, family crisis, financial pressure, confidence challenges and returning from parental leave.
One submission described an employee facing a family crisis who was signposted to NABS alongside internal support. The independent, confidential help gave them space to stabilise and return with greater confidence. Another described NABS stepping in to help cover bills during serious illness.
These stories show why independent support matters. It can make the industry feel less isolating, more compassionate and more human.
Why do organisations believe NABS matters more than ever?
Against this backdrop, organisations consistently described NABS as a trusted source of support for advertising, media and marketing.
Respondents referred to NABS as a safety net, lifeline and vital independent resource. They highlighted the importance of having somewhere confidential to turn during periods of personal or professional challenge.
“Without NABS, our industry would be a much lonelier, less resilient place.”
“Without NABS, the industry would feel colder, more fragmented, and far less human.”
“NABS is the connecting glue that stops us feeling isolated.”
People came to NABS 18,000 times last year to advance their mental wellness, through team training and life-changing support, to opportunities for connection and community through our events and presentations
Many contributors described NABS not as a charitable extra, but as an essential part of the support available to people across the industry.
Find out what NABS can offer your organisation.
What does this tell us?
The organisations featured on The Yay List were not only talking about wellbeing policies. They were talking about people.
Their message was simple: when people thrive, businesses do too.
That is good for individuals. It is good for workplaces. And it is good for the future of advertising, media and marketing.
Find support
Whether you are navigating change, feeling overwhelmed, building confidence or supporting your team, NABS is here to help.
Find out more about the range of NABS services.
Be part of the Yay List 2026
The NABS Yay List, produced in partnership with Campaign, honors the organisations and individuals that power NABS’ purpose through donating or fundraising. The second edtition of the Yay List will be published in Campaign in December 2026.
Find our how you can get on the Yay List 2026 on the NABS Yay List web page.
Methodology
This article is based on analysis of 52 Yay List 2025 submissions from organisations across advertising, media and marketing, collected between October and December 2025. Findings reflect recurring themes and perspectives within the submissions rather than a statistically representative survey of the industry.