Workplace mental health – it’s a subject that everyone is talking about. A 2026 survey revealed that 20% of workers have reported taking time off sick from work due to poor mental health, and an astonishing 91% of adults experience high levels of stress in the workplace, a figure that has remained high for the past two years.
This is why it is so important that workplace mental health initiatives are present for both employers and employees. The amazing ‘Mental Health at Work‘ initiative was launched by Heads Together and Mind in 2018. 8 years later, they have supported over 4,000 employers and over 6 million workers to change the approach to mental health support at work. But what do you really need to know to change workplace mental health within your organisation?
Signs of poor mental health at work
Mental health support in the workplace starts by spotting the signs that your team need support. Signs of poor mental health at work could include:
- Increased absence: mental health has a strong correlation with absenteeism in the workplace. If you are noticing an increase in sickness leave in your team, this may be a sign to provide additional mental health support in the workplace
- Disengagement: Drops in employee engagement can be a key sign of poor mental health in the team. For example, missing meetings, disinterest in training or professional development, or changes in work patterns such as remote working, could be signs that a team member needs further support
- Changes in work behaviours: Whilst absence and loss in productivity can be signs of employees struggling with their mental health, overworking can also be a sign that individuals are struggling. Watch out for behaviour such as extended work hours, skipping breaks, and excessive periods not using annual leave allowances over holidays.
What is the impact of workplace mental health issues?
Work-related mental wellbeing issues are contributing to workplace problems like presenteeism and leavism, having a significant impact on the business and employer. Presenteeism is where employees are at work in body but unable to work to full capacity. In 2025 alone, 38% of businesses reported observing some level of presenteeism in their organisation, which represented the highest rate of the behaviour since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, 75% of workers reported considering leaving their positions at work due to poor mental health support at work.
Employer responsibilities for workplace mental health
While mental health is a complex and highly personal subject, an employer does have some responsibilities regarding workers’ mental health, which are protected in the UK by several pieces of legislation, including:
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: Section 2 of the 1974 Act describes the employer’s responsibility to ensure reasonable actions are taken to secure the health, safety and welfare of employees at work, including both physical and mental health.
- Equality Act 2010: The Equality Act 2-20 protects UK workers from harassment, discrimination or unfair treatment due to mental health
- Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999: The 1999 regulations detail employees’ responsibility to conduct suitable and sufficient risk assessments for workers’ health and safety, including risks of mental health.
What can workplaces do to support mental health?
It’s important to recognise the scale of the problem and act now, or risk employees continuing to suffer in silence. Whilst this is a widespread issue, it isn’t one that can’t be solved. It needs to start from the top, with employers engraining an open and honest culture in the workplace. There needs to be a greater focus on the responsibility of line managers to be approachable and understand their peers’ strengths and weaknesses.
With one in three employers not knowing where to look for guidance on mental health issues, we believe that in giving businesses the right support, we can make a real difference.
From Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, the equivalent of a physical first aider at work for mental health, to mental resilience training, get in touch to see how we can support you.
Take a look at the fantastic resources available for free from Mental Health at Work to get started.
Mental health support resources at work
Westfield Health are proud to advocate for mental health support at work. We support thousands of businesses across the UK to create wellbeing and mental health strategies that support workers every day. Browse mental health articles and resources to understand how businesses can support themselves and their teams.