Answering your questions on employee mental health

Background

Employers have a duty of care to those they employ to ensure their health, safety and welfare. This duty requires them to take action to prevent or tackle any risks to their employees’ physical or mental health, such as workplace stress, to stop those risks leading to physical and/or poor mental health.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), these risks can lead to physical and/or mental ill health and, potentially, even suicidal ideation, intent and behaviour. Whilst efforts to support mental health are a year-round endeavour, with World Suicide Prevention Day falling on 10 September 2025, now is a good opportunity to review the measures that are in place and ensure they are effective.

The HSE identify that suicide is a major cause of premature death in Great Britain. However, most suicides are preventable with appropriate interventions. Work-related factors may contribute to feelings of humiliation or isolation that, the HSE say, can contribute towards suicidal ideation, intent or behaviour. These factors can also create an issue, or combination of issues, such as job insecurity, discrimination, work stressors and bullying, which may play a part in people becoming suicidal.

Below we look at some of the measures employers can put in place generally to support employee mental health and reduce these risks.

How can I identify employees who are experiencing poor mental health?

In general, training managers or other employees to spot common signs and symptoms of mental health issues and emotional distress can help to identify those who might be struggling. This provides early intervention and quick access to professional resources, such as counsellors and coping strategies.

Creating a culture of inclusion and open communication, with a zero-tolerance of workplace bullying and harassment, can also help employees feel comfortable to raise issues or concerns. Employers could encourage employees to take their breaks away from their workstations (perhaps encouraging them to go for a walk at lunchtime) and ask for help if they need it.

Workplace mental health initiatives and the promotion of the support available is also beneficial. These can be used to highlight to employees the support they can access and how to do so, encouraging them to come forward of their own accord should they feel the need to access such support. This can include promoting the workplace mental health policy, if there is one, and advertising access to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs).

It also includes ensuring employees know how to report any workplace issues they may be having that could impact their mental health, such as bullying, harassment or discrimination, so they can be dealt with swiftly.

How can I help my employees with their mental health?

Poor mental health can have a significant impact on an individual, at work and beyond, and if sufficiently serious it can meet the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010. Regardless of whether the employee would be classed as disabled or not, you should consider what support you can give to an employee who tells you that they are experiencing poor mental health, eg depression or anxiety.

Employee mental health can be improved through strategic organisation-wide approaches that include actions such as:

• training managers on identifying mental health issues and the ways to support employees who are struggling with them
• implementing EAPs
• conducting mental health awareness initiatives
• making reasonable workplace adjustments
• promoting positive mental wellbeing through supportive policies and practices.

The most effective approach to helping with employee mental health is to combine prevention strategies with support for those experiencing mental health difficulties. A comprehensive approach should involve employers identifying stress sources and implementing solutions rather than relying solely on individual-level interventions. Remember, those sources can be external to the workplace as well as coming from within it; they can include workload but also interactions with colleagues, especially where they involve bullying, harassment or discrimination.

Signposting to relevant resources is an important part of this and one that managers can be responsible for. By talking to employees who they think might be struggling, managers can, if appropriate to do so, direct employees towards, eg an EAP or a mental health charity to support employees who are struggling with their mental health and ensure they get help from trained professionals.