Emerging trends in mental health and work performance research: a bibliometric analysis and future research agenda

Purpose This study aims to explore emerging trends in mental health and work performance research, identifying key themes and future research directions. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzed 743 relevant documents downloaded from Scopus database published between 2014 and 2024 using VOSviewer software for co-citation and co-occurrence analyses. Findings Findings reveal significant growth in research focusing mental health and work performance research. The western countries, such as USA, United Kingdom and Australia, emerge as leading contributors to the field, with medicine and psychology dominating the subject areas. The analysis highlights a complex interplay between employee mental health and work performance, underscoring the need for more interdisciplinary research. The results emphasize the necessity for customized interventions, long-term impact studies, cross-cultural research, technological innovations and policy advocacy to effectively address mental health issues in the workplace. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of current research trends on mental health and work performance for the first time in the literature and provides a foundation for future investigations. This comprehensive analysis offers valuable insights for researchers, practitioners and policymakers seeking to enhance employee well-being and optimize work performance in contemporary organizational settings.