Today marks World Mental Health Day. It’s an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma that surrounds mental health. This year’s theme is ‘Mental Health is a universal human right’. Everyone has a right to the highest attainable standard of mental health.

Mental health issues can be complex, diverse and wide ranging. According to the Health and Safety Executive, anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems.

The cost-of-living crisis continues to contribute to the cause for a lot of issues currently, particularly anxiety. But death of a loved one, physical illness or a sudden event such as a serious accident or a partner’s job loss can all be triggers. Whether work is causing the health issue or aggravating it, employers have a legal responsibility to help their employees.

Good mental health is vital to our overall health and well-being. Yet huge stigma still exists surrounding mental health. Trying to manage poor mental health in the workplace can be tough for both the person affected and the wider team.

In the workplace, there are some strategies that HR and the senior management team can implement to pre-empt and prevent a poor mental health situation.

Mental Health First Aiders
Building a team of Mental Health First Aiders creates a group of listeners. They can recognise poor mental health signs early in their colleagues. They know how to make colleagues feel comfortable when discussing poor mental health as well as the appropriate support services to sign post their colleagues to.

Support Line Managers to Support their Teams
Increasing line managers’ confidence ensures that they are happy to bring up potentially uncomfortable situations with employees. For example, a line manager might notice an increase in absence with an employee. A confident manager can approach the employee and find out what’s going on. It could be a simple explanation. But there could be alternative reasons for the sickness.

Safeguarding Good Mental Health
It’s important to take a positive approach within the workplace to reduce the risk of problems developing or being exacerbated. Creating a culture where people thrive and feel comfortable to open up about how they are feeling ensures that good mental health stays at the top of the agenda.

At HR Champions, we always say that prevention is better than cure. From managing mental health skills for managers to Mental Health First Aider training, we can work with you to overhaul your culture and create a safe working environment where employees thrive. Get in touch today by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling 01452 331331.