Food insecurity can significantly increase anxiety and reduce productivity among employees, but workplace interventions providing food support may help mitigate these effects and benefit businesses, according to new research.
Published online in the Journal of Applied Psychology on February 19, 2026, the study highlights how food insecurity affects working adults beyond basic survival, influencing both mental health and job performance.
“There is an implicit assumption that food insecurity primarily affects unemployed people, but it’s a pervasive issue that impacts a sizable portion of the workforce,” said lead researcher Jason Moy, MS, a doctoral student in organizational behavior at the University of Washington. “We hope business leaders can change their mindset and understand that supporting employees facing food insecurity extends beyond humanitarian concerns and benefits the businesses themselves.”
Food insecurity refers to the fear or anxiety about not being able to afford enough food, which can lead to cutting back on purchases or skipping meals. According to a 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 47 million people, or 13% of U.S. households, experienced food insecurity in 2023. Prior studies link it to higher risks of hypertension, anemia, asthma, anxiety, depression, and sleeping and eating disorders.
The study included three experiments examining the impacts of food insecurity on workplace outcomes. In an online experiment, 375 U.S. working adults who had previously experienced food insecurity were divided into two groups: one recalled their most recent experience of food insecurity, while the other recalled a time when food was readily available. Those who recalled food insecurity reported much higher anxiety, lower task performance, reduced work engagement, and less helping behavior toward colleagues.
In a diary study, 567 U.S. working adults maintained weekly diaries for one month, and participants who reported higher food insecurity during that period also reported higher anxiety and lower task performance and engagement.
A field experiment in Pakistan involved 196 workers who were randomly assigned to receive either a food package or a package of cleaning and hygiene products. Workers who received food reported significantly lower anxiety, which corresponded with improved work performance and task engagement. These results demonstrate a causal link between food insecurity and diminished workplace outcomes, primarily through heightened anxiety.
The findings suggest that addressing food insecurity directly can improve employee well-being and productivity. Businesses do not need to rely solely on nonprofit or governmental programs and could provide support by offering free or discounted food through grocery vouchers, establishing workplace food pantries, creating community gardens, or providing transportation to local food banks.
“We want to highlight that business leaders should support their employees who face food insecurity because doing so, in turn, benefits the businesses themselves,” Moy said.
The study emphasizes that food insecurity undermines key aspects of job functioning, including task performance, engagement, and prosocial behaviors like helping colleagues. Workplace programs targeting food access may serve as a practical strategy to enhance employee outcomes and organizational success.
The article, titled The Effects of Food Insecurity on Work Outcomes, was authored by Jason HJ Moy, MS, University of Washington; Ussama Ahmad Khan, PhD, London Business School; Wei Jee Ong, PhD, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; and Christopher M. Barnes, PhD, University of Washington.