Mental Health Awareness Week is a time to raise awareness, promote understanding and encourage open conversations about mental health in the workplace. While the week in May brings these topics into sharper focus, it’s essential that businesses and organisations commit to supporting mental wellbeing throughout the year.
Whether you work in a small business, a large organisation or a public sector team, creating a culture of psychological safety and support can have a profound impact on employee wellbeing, productivity and morale.
Discover 5 key strategies to help foster a mentally healthy workplace during Mental Health Awareness Week—and beyond.
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What is mental health?
Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It influences how individuals think, feel and behave—and plays a key role in how they handle stress, interact with others and manage work and life responsibilities.
Mental health exists on a spectrum and can be affected by workload, personal life challenges, workplace culture, and external pressures. A supportive environment where employees feel safe to talk about mental health can lead to better engagement, lower absenteeism and improved job satisfaction.
It’s important to understand that mental health affects everyone differently. Recognising and supporting individual needs is the first step towards creating a mentally healthy and inclusive workplace.
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5 key strategies to support mental wellbeing in the workplace:
1. Encourage open conversations
Breaking the stigma around mental health begins with open and honest communication. Encourage employees to talk about their mental wellbeing and create a culture where seeking support is seen as a strength, not a weakness.
Leaders and managers play a vital role in setting the tone—by being approachable, listening without judgment and regularly checking in with their teams.
Consider hosting wellbeing discussions, mental health-themed events or anonymous suggestion boxes to give employees a voice and promote dialogue.
2. Recognise the signs of poor mental health
Mental health issues aren’t always visible. Employers and line managers should be equipped to recognise early warning signs, such as changes in behaviour, decreased productivity, mood swings, absenteeism or withdrawal from colleagues.
Creating a psychologically safe environment where people feel able to disclose concerns without fear of judgment is key. Providing mental health training for managers can help build this understanding and confidence.
3. Promote self-care and work-life balance
Encourage your workforce to prioritise self-care and set healthy boundaries. Promote flexible working where possible, support regular breaks, and discourage a culture of overwork or presenteeism.
Self-care strategies like mindfulness, physical activity and regular sleep all play a part in maintaining good mental health. Share resources, host wellness challenges or provide access to mental health support apps or employee assistance programmes (EAPs).
4. Upskill staff to become mental health advocates
Empowering employees with knowledge and tools is key to long-term cultural change. Workplace Health Champions play an important role in promoting wellbeing from within an organisation.
Active Lancashire offers Level 2 and Level 3 Workplace Health Champion qualifications, which are designed to help individuals understand mental health better, support their peers and drive positive change in their workplace. These accredited qualifications equip staff with the skills and confidence to act as internal wellbeing ambassadors.
Having trained champions within your team can help embed mental health awareness into everyday working life and ensure support is both accessible and ongoing.
5. Build an inclusive and supportive culture
Mental wellbeing is not just an individual responsibility—it’s a collective one. Foster a workplace culture that prioritises inclusion, empathy and collaboration. Encourage peer support, celebrate wellbeing wins and continuously review policies to ensure they reflect your commitment to mental health.
When businesses actively invest in mental health, the benefits are felt across the board—from increased retention and morale to greater innovation and performance.
Mental Health Awareness Week is a powerful reminder that wellbeing should be a year-round priority. By taking meaningful action now, employers can build workplaces where people feel valued, supported and empowered to thrive.
If you're ready to take the next step in supporting employee wellbeing, explore the Level 2 and Level 3 Workplace Health Champion qualifications offered through Active Lancashire's Learning Zone. These flexible, accredited programmes are ideal for businesses looking to embed long-term health and wellbeing strategies in their workforce.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Spencer Clarke Group is a specialist education recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Operating nationwide, they help schools to find experienced teaching and support staff on a daily, temporary, temp-perm or permanent basis. After growing exponentially since launching in 2017, Spencer Clarke Group was named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the 2024 Recruiter Awards.
