Despite growing awareness, there remains significant ignorance and stigma surrounding workplace mental health, as well as a lack of access to personalised support. It’s time we need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to provide employees with the right support.
As the workplace becomes more diverse, especially with generational differences, it is important to cater to every employee and specifically to their mental health. As a business, you are in a unique position to support your employees in a personalised and compassionate way.
How do you know if mental health is affecting your workforce?
Employers must acknowledge that mental health is something that affects around one in four people in the UK, so it is highly likely that employees in your workplace will have a mental health condition. Between one in five, and one in six working adults is depressed, anxious or experiencing stress-related problems at any one time.
Talking to your employees is the first step to assessing if anyone needs support. It might be that individuals are reluctant to step forward with their issues out of fear or not knowing how their employer might respond or how they can actually help them. Establishing an open culture and open line of communication is important in helping to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health.
The financial implications are staggering—poor mental wellbeing costs UK employers an estimated £42-£45 billion annually [Mental Health Foundation], with 17.1 million working days lost in 2022/23 due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety. This leads to reduced productivity, higher absenteeism, and increased turnover. There is some good news though. For every £1 invested in mental health initiatives, businesses see a return of up to £5 in improved performance and presenteeism reduction [Mental Health Foundation].
In what way should you be investing in mental health services and support?
Personalisation is key.
Mental health issues can range from some of the most common in the workplace (anxiety and depression, and stress) to specific diagnoses such as OCD or panic disorder. Though we are trying to tackle some of the most common conditions known in the workplace, we must address the diversity of people.
The complexity of mental health means that there is no single solution. Every employee’s mental health journey is unique and businesses must move away from broad, blanket strategies. Personalised mental health support is not just a moral imperative—it’s a strategic investment in the long-term success of your organisation.
It’s important to recognise the nuances of your organisation and industry – every business is different and so are the mental health requirements of your workforce. Having an understanding of your employees and their mental health requirements gives them the best chance of being supported in the right manner. Carrying out a workplace mental health audit can help with this by highlighting who requires help and what support is required.
Whether it’s offering tailored counselling, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) or creating flexible support systems, organisations need to meet people where they are. This isn’t about ticking boxes or offering generic services—it’s about building a culture where employees feel seen, heard and valued for who they are.
What initiatives can you implement to support workplace mental health?
By providing peer-to-peer network support within your organisation you can create an environment in which the individual may feel more comfortable to discuss any issues they may be having at work, without fear of judgement. Through clearer communication, employees are in a better position to know where to access support and be more comfortable when asking for help.
A mental health champion can monitor individuals through “Tea Chats” or catch ups to address common triggers of mental health, such as struggling with work-life balance, switching off, and pressure in tasks. Employees who feel supported are more engaged, productive, and loyal, ultimately contributing to the success of the organisation.
Your line managers are often in a position where they can spot the early warning signs, as they often know their teams better than anyone. They can spot changes in behaviours that could indicate a mental health issue or that someone might be at increased risk of experiencing one.
Organisations are often wary of investing in wellbeing measures when there is no guarantee a new initiative will have the desired impact and, more importantly, bring a return on investment.
Piloting new schemes on a smaller scale, where data can be collated and assessed to see if a new initiative is having a positive impact on employee wellbeing and overall engagement, is a good first step in demonstrating to management that a concept will succeed or fail before a large investment is made.
Measurement also encourages early intervention to aid recovery. Taking steps to prevent poor health from developing is more effective than waiting until people become ill.
When you are dealing with complex mental health, outside sources are beneficial to streamline help and support for your employees.
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
Training via EAPs can help leaders and line managers learn about early identification principles, backed by CBT evidence-based interventions to support employees. By providing employees with the knowledge and skills to identify early signs of mental distress, support can be accessed more timely and effectively.
Clinical Services
It is important to note though that training and teaching is only part of the solution. Many employees know how they are feeling, or have very complex conditions and are looking up to their employers for support in access to treatment.
A mental health care organisation that provides clinical services and therapies can help to deliver a more complex mental health provision for employees in need. Personalised interventions for those with specific or severe conditions ensure that all employees, regardless of their mental health challenges, receive the right support.
Dr Glenn Mason
Glenn is a highly specialist Counselling Psychologist and Psychotherapist and has regularly contributed to local, national and international media on psychology, trauma, chronic pain, PTSD, and duty of care psychology. His practice is informed by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Exposure Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.
