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Objective: To evaluate perceived needs and difficulties related to instruments for assessing work ability in individuals with mental disorders.Method: We conducted an online survey of 104 German-speaking medico-legal experts (forensic psychiatric and psychology experts, insurance physicians) and therapists.Results: The large majority of respondents reported they would welcome a standardized, structured instrument for the assessment of work ability. High predictiveness, inter-rater agreement, comprehensibility for laymen, and symptom validity were desired in roughly equal measure as the main characteristic of such an instrument. More women than men, and more medico-legal experts than therapists, considered symptom validation as always necessary. Pain, personality, and affective disorders were perceived to be the most difficult disorders in the context of work ability assessments.Conclusion: Our survey documents professionals' wish for a structured assessment of work ability in both medico-legal and therapeutic settings.