Observing World Mental Health Day

"World Mental Health Day takes place every year on 10 October. It’s a reminder of the importance of good mental health and the need to prioritise and invest in good mental health." This is from World Mental Health Day 2025 | Mental Health Foundation

In this article we'll focus on mental health within the workplace because this day is a timely reminder that mental health is not a “nice to have,” but a vital pillar of organisational wellbeing and performance.

Why HR must lead the conversation on mental health

As HR professionals, we are uniquely placed to shape the culture, policies, and practices that allow people to thrive and not just survive. This year, Hello People are using today to reflect, recalibrate, and recommit to mental health as a core priority.

In this article, we’ll:

• Summarise where things stand in today's workplace

• Explore why mental health matters from an HR perspective

• Offer practical suggestions for tangible actions

• Encourage a path forward to embed mental health in your people agenda

Mental Health within workplaces in 2025

• It’s estimated that 15% of UK workers have a diagnosed mental health condition

• In 2023, about 875,000 workers reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 17.1 million working days lost

• Poor mental health costs UK employers an estimated £42–£45 billion annually through sickness absence, presenteeism, turnover etc.

• A compelling return on investment exists: for every £1 spent on mental health interventions, studies show a return of around £5 in reduced absence and improved productivity

• Recent surveys also highlight growing levels of stress and burnout:

  • 25% of UK workers report feeling unable to cope with workplace stress

  • 79% say they experience moderate-to-high stress levels, with younger employees and women often reporting higher incidence

  • 63% now show signs of burnout (exhaustion, disengagement, reduced motivation).

• Stigma remains a barrier: only 13% of employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health at work

• Meanwhile, CIPD reports that mental health remains a key focus in organisations’ wellbeing strategies with 89% of organisations including it as a core element as of 2025

These statistics tell us a clear story; mental health in the workplace is not an outlier issue, it’s pervasive, costly, and deeply tied to organisational success.

Why companies should care (beyond compliance)

Some may argue that mental health falls under “wellbeing” which might be considered a soft or optional dimension. But in truth, it sits at the intersection of strategy, risk, and value creation.

Here’s why we as HR leaders view mental health as core business:

1. Risk management and liability

   Poor mental health is one of the top reasons for long-term sickness absence. Ignoring it increases exposure to claims, reduced workforce capacity, and reputational risk. From a duty-of-care perspective, as employers we have legal, ethical and moral responsibility to create supportive and psychologically safe environments.

2. Retention, attraction and employer brand

   In a competitive labour market, candidates want to join organisations that demonstrate care for their wellbeing. Retaining employees affected by mental health conditions (or preventing their exit) is often more cost-effective than recruiting and onboarding replacements.

3. Productivity and engagement gains

   When people feel mentally safe and supported, engagement rises, creativity flows, and discretionary effort improves. Investment in mental health interventions often yields returns via reduced absence, lower turnover, and higher output.

4. Culture, trust and inclusion

   Mental health cannot be decoupled from culture. Silence, stigma, “manning up” narratives, or a fear of reprisals can undermine all other people efforts (diversity, inclusion, leadership development). As your HR advisor we can help move mental health from the “hidden” to the “invited conversation” making it safe to speak, to adjust, to accommodate.

5. Leading versus reacting

   In our experience the organisations that lead the curve, integrating mental health into performance frameworks, leadership development, and employee experience, will be the ones best able to adapt to future shocks (economic, social, environmental).

From intent to action

World Mental Health Day is a great rallying point, but it’s not just about one day of activity; it’s about embedding sustainable change.

Here are practical steps businesses can take, around 10 October and beyond:

Where are you today?

• Form a cross-functional steering group to align on goals and messaging if you are putting mental health as a priority for every day not just today

• Baseline your organisation’s mental health by surveying employees, auditing existing policies, review utilisation of EAPs or MHFAers

• Line manager training: it's important to equip managers with the skills to spot signs of distress, have supportive conversations, and signpost resources.

• Awareness campaign: create posters, intranet content, emails, toolkits, short videos to reinforce that mental health matters, that supports exist, and that disclosure is safe.

• Create “safe space” forums or listening sessions: offer optional drop-in sessions where employees can talk, ask questions, or share anonymously.

Don't forget Hello People Solutions can support you with all of the above including rolling out Mental Health First Aid training programmes.

Things you can do on World Mental Health Day:

• Host a “Tea & Talk” or wellbeing café, whatever works for your workplace to provide informal, low-stakes drop-ins for conversation - many mental health charities promote this model.

• Share stories and voices — senior leaders opening up (with vulnerability) can shift norms.

• Micro-experiences: e.g. guided breathing/mindfulness sessions, mid-day walks, “unplugged hour,” resilience briefings.

• Highlight resources: ensure employees know how to access whatever resources you have available today (or everyday!)

• Encourage post-it pledges: small individual commitments (“I will pause and breathe,” “I’ll check in with a colleague”), shared (if willing) in break areas.

Challenges and considerations

While your intent may be strong, business leaders must be aware of common pitfalls and thoughtful considerations essential to embed a positive culture around mental health within your workplace.

You'll need to consider:

• Confidentiality and trust

  Employees must trust that sharing will not backfire. Ensure support is confidential, and that HR or managers do not misuse data.

• Resourcing and capacity

  Rolling out mental health initiatives requires budget, skilled training, and time. It must be realistic and well-supported.

• Token gestures risk

  If World Mental Health Day is treated as a “tick box” event without follow-through, employees will see it as hollow and shallow potentially harming trust.

• Line manager capability

  Many line managers lack training or comfort in handling mental health matters. Without this capacity, well-designed policies can’t translate into meaningful outcomes.

• Diversity, equity and intersectionality

  Mental health experiences differ by age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, disability, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ status. One size does not fit all.

• Mental health and performance tension

  Balancing support with business needs (e.g. managing underperformance) can be delicate. Policies should clearly define when support ends and performance management begins.

What next?

Well start working with Hello People Solutions is one thing that will help you get it right; steps you can take include:

• Block time in your HR advisors calendar in early October (or sooner!) to plan your mental health campaign.

• Liaise with senior leadership to secure budget and line manager buy-in.

• Map existing supports (EAP, counselling, occupational health, health benefits) and assess their utilisation and gaps.

• Plan at least one “anchor” event for World Mental Health Day (Tea & Talk, leadership panel, resilience workshop) and build awareness around it.

• Commit to at least one structural change (e.g. a reasonable adjustments policy, manager training, inclusion of mental health in performance reviews) to begin bridging the gap from awareness to action.

Here at Hello People we have a series of policies, systems and offerings that enable us to look after the mental health and wellbeing of our staff. Critical given the work we do but also something our MD, Amanda, feels is the right thing to do. Mental health is not just important for employers to be successful but for people to live their lives fully.