Climate Anxiety Leave: The New Benefit Top Talent Actually Wants

Climate change isn’t just a political or environmental issue—it’s a mental health one. And now, it’s becoming an HR one, too.

From devastating floods and fires to rising temperatures and uncertain futures, climate change is starting to impact more than the planet—it’s affecting our workforce. A growing number of employees, especially younger generations, are experiencing climate anxiety: the chronic fear of environmental doom. And they're asking their employers to do something about it.

Enter a new, radical idea in the HR world: Climate Anxiety Leave.

What Is Climate Anxiety Leave?
Climate Anxiety Leave is paid (or unpaid) time off granted to employees specifically to cope with stress, fear, or mental health challenges tied to environmental concerns—whether that’s due to a natural disaster affecting them personally, or the broader psychological toll of climate change.