The Philippines tops Southeast Asia in workplace stress, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 report. Fifty percent of Filipino workers said they felt stressed “a lot of the day” in 2025, higher than the global average of 40%.
Stress levels in neighboring countries are falling. Vietnam dropped to 13%, Thailand to 25%, while Indonesia, Malaysia, and Laos reported between 14% and 26%. This makes the Philippines an outlier in the region.
Gallup also found that 29% of employees in the Philippines experienced anger a lot of the previous day. This compares to the Southeast Asia regional average of 19% and the global average of 22%.
Sadness and loneliness are also higher. Thirty-one percent reported sadness, compared to 21% regionally and 23% globally. Thirty percent said they felt loneliness, above the regional average of 19% and the global average of 22%.
Meanwhile, the latest AXA Mind Health Study shows similar concerns. Eighty-seven percent of Filipinos report work-related mental health issues, exceeding the global average of 76%.
Burnout is another critical issue, with 33% experiencing it in the past year, well above the global average of 20%. Alarmingly, only 22% of those who experienced burnout sought help from healthcare professionals.
Despite these numbers, Filipino employees remain engaged. The country posted one of the highest engagement rates in Southeast Asia at 39%, says Gallup. Seventy-seven percent said they were happy at work, second only to Indonesia in Asia-Pacific. But burnout and negative emotions remain a serious challenge.
Also Read: mWell partners with MindNation to make mental health care accessible
The report shows a paradox: Filipino workers are both highly engaged and happy, yet among the most stressed and emotionally strained in the region. Employers are now challenged to balance engagement with healthier working conditions.
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