More than half of workers in Mexico would give up a pay rise or promotion for a better balance between work and personal life. That is the finding of the study Tendencias del Entorno Laboral en México 2026 by staffing provider Kelly Services México (August 2026), which positions workplace wellbeing as an increasingly decisive factor in attracting and retaining staff in Mexico. No details have been published about the sample size or research methodology. The theme extends beyond Mexico: internationally, the way companies recruit and retain employees is shifting from pure compensation toward broader working conditions (see Context).
What does the research show?
Of those surveyed, 57 percent say they would be willing to pass up an offer of a pay rise or promotion in exchange for more work-life balance. In addition, 64.35 percent say they place great value on respect for working hours and clear boundaries outside shifts, for example through less communication after hours. Stress is cited by 39.31 percent of participants and ranks as one of the most significant physical and emotional work-related complaints. Other aspects valued by employees, according to the research, include flexible schedules, paid time off and development opportunities within the organization. The study places these findings within the broader trend of workplace wellbeing carrying increasing weight alongside salary in Mexico, both in choosing an employer and in deciding whether to stay.
What does this mean for employers?
The findings point to a shift in how workers in Mexico weigh employment conditions: financial incentives alone are no longer enough to retain staff. The authors conclude that employers need to combine a market-rate salary with flexibility, engaged leadership and attention to psychosocial risks in order to retain talent; inadequate leadership is cited as one of the factors that can play a role in an employee’s decision to leave an organization. For HSE and HR departments, this means workload and working-hours policy are increasingly becoming part of the broader health and safety agenda, alongside classic themes such as physical safety. In concrete terms, this involves agreements on availability outside office hours and room for personal development.
Context
The findings align with international figures on mental health in the workplace. According to a joint overview by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), an estimated 12 billion working days are lost worldwide each year to depression and anxiety, with an estimated economic cost of nearly $1 trillion. About 15 percent of working-age adults had a mental disorder in 2019, and only 35 percent of countries have national programs to prevent work-related mental health problems. In Mexico, the national standard NOM-035-STPS-2018 already requires employers to identify, analyze and prevent psychosocial risk factors such as high workload, long working hours and a disrupted work-family balance, placing the study’s findings within a broader regulatory framework.
Source: Bienestar laboral en México: 57% sacrificaría un aumento por un mejor equilibrio entre vida y trabajo, September 28, 2026
Additional sources consulted: joint WHO/ILO overview on mental health at work (2022), NOM-035-STPS-2018 (Mexican standard on psychosocial risk factors), coverage of the Kelly Services México TELM 2026 study (Mundo Ejecutivo, Expansión)
