Attitudes towards men’s mental health are changing. More men are starting to take a proactive approach to their health, marking a positive shift. However, a 2026 Westfield Health Survey found that 58% of men have not sought help or support for their mental health in the past 12 months, and a further 22% of men report not seeking mental health support due to the perceived stigma.
When it comes to health, many still face significant barriers to seeking support, whether due to stigma, lack of awareness, or workplace culture.
Our 2026 Workplace Wellbeing Survey, which gathered insights from 2,000 employees across the UK, sheds light on the challenges men face in accessing the help they need and the steps employers can take to close the gap.
Changing attitudes towards men’s health
In recent years, men say they’ve become more health conscious. Many are taking a more proactive approach to their physical and mental wellbeing. In fact, 46.3% of men in our 2026 survey reported that their physical health has improved over the last 5 years. However, only 43,3% have reported an improvement in men’s mental health, and 56% of male respondents reported either no change or a decline in their mental wellbeing over the past 12 months.
This shows that, while the conversations are opening up around men’s health, there is still a lot of awareness to be raised around reducing stigma around mental health and improving access to men’s mental health resources.
Here are some ways that men’s physical and mental health have changed in recent years:
The change in physical health
Although men face higher rates of preventable health issues, they are less inclined to seek medical attention from their GP. A 2024 study found that men are 65% less likely to seek medical advice or help compared to women, possibly leading to severe consequences on physical and mental health later on.
The change in mental health
2 in 5 men state that they regularly feel symptoms such as low mood or worry. Although awareness around men’s health is improving, one area of growing concern is isolation. One in ten working men feel that isolation has affected their mental health in the last twelve months. Isolation can lead to loneliness, which can increase the risk of depression, anxiety, and even physical health issues such as high blood pressure and weakened immunity.
Mental health support for men
Only 36% of NHS referrals to therapy services are from men. When it comes to mental health, most men are turning to trusted personal connections for support rather than professional services.
From our 2026 survey, we found that 80.4% of men would feel comfortable talking to friends or family about their mental health (a 2% increase from 2025) and 57.3% would feel comfortable talking to colleagues (a 2.7% decline from 2025).
With isolation playing an important role in affecting men’s mental health, having these support systems both in and out of the workplace is important for wellbeing.
Workplaces are becoming a valuable place for supporting mental health; only 35.7% of men feel that their employer provides all of the support they need in the workplace for their health and wellbeing.
The top-ranked wellbeing benefits
85.5% of men say workplace wellbeing support is useful (4.6% increase from 2025) showing it plays a vital role in male-dominated spaces. It’s a practical way to support men’s health in the workplace and show it is a priority.
Workplace initiatives are not just a cost but a vital investment in your people’s long-term resilience, health and productivity.Dave Capper, CEO at Westfield Health
Men are especially interested in benefits that allow them to be proactive and prevent health issues before they escalate. The most desired include health check-ups (30%), health cash plan (6.7%), counselling (15.4%), gym access (24.5%), and mental health days off (19.9%).
Many of these are simple to implement and make it easier for men to access the care they need, without always having to rely on NHS services with long wait times.
Wellbeing support helps attract and keep male talent
With 21.9% of men thinking about changing jobs, and 12.7% actively seeking new opportunities, benefits play a key role in employee retention.
It’s not just about pay; feeling supported and valued at work matters to employees. Businesses that offer meaningful support are more likely to hold on to their people and stand out to new talent.
Beyond salary, men are most interested in access to private healthcare (23.6%), access to counselling (15.9%), health check-ups (30%), and access to personal and mental health days (17.9%).
These can often rank higher than things like promotions or company status, showing that practical support and prioritising wellbeing makes a real difference to attitudes towards work.
Explore our free men’s health data sheet.
This free men’s mental health survey guide offers the latest data on men’s health as well as tips to support men’s health in the workplace. The quick-reference links are available to discover free health checks, information and helpful resources.
