Mental Health Support at Work

A good employee wellness programme supports health, morale and productivity. Here's what to include and how to get people involved.Mental health support is now a core part of employee benefits. Here's what employers can offer, how to reduce stigma and how to measure the impact.

Stress, anxiety and burnout don't stay at home. They affect how people feel at work and how they feel about work.

More employers now see mental health support as a core part of their benefits, rather than a nice extra. It's the right thing to do, and it helps build a healthier and more motivated workplace.

Why it matters?

High workloads and tight deadlines can take a toll, and pressures from outside work don't disappear at the office door. When people struggle without support, it can affect their wellbeing, their job satisfaction and their ability to do their best work.

Attitudes have also changed. People are more open about mental health, and many now look for employers who take it seriously.

What employers can offer.

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). An EAP offers confidential support for personal or work-related challenges. It's often the best place to start.

Counselling. Access to counsellors or therapists, on site or through an external provider, gives people professional support when they need it.

Flexible working. Flexible hours or remote working can help people manage their wellbeing alongside work.

Time off. Make it clear that people can take time when they need it. Some employers offer additional leave for this purpose.

Workshops and training. Sessions on stress and coping strategies raise awareness for everyone. Training also helps managers spot when someone may be struggling and know how to respond.

Tackling stigma.

The biggest barrier is often not a lack of support, but people's reluctance to use it. Some worry about being judged or that asking for help will affect their career.

Employers can help by:

1. Talking about it openly, so it becomes a normal conversation.
2. Starting with leaders, whose words and behaviour set the tone.
3. Being clear about confidentiality, so people know exactly what stays private.
4. Equipping managers to have supportive conversations and signpost help.
5. Making support easy to find, so nobody has to ask around to access it.

Measuring the impact.

Mental health support is hard to measure, and privacy must always come first. These indicators can help, when used only as anonymised, overall trends:

• Use of support services
• Sick leave trends
• Staff survey results
• Retention rates

Make support easy to find.

Support only helps if people know about it. Hubex's benefits platform puts your health and wellbeing supports in one place, so everyone can see what's available and how to access it. Talk to our team to find out more.