Health and safety procedures often focus on physical risks at work. Employers must also manage work-related stress, and everyone can help create a workplace where people feel able to seek support.
Current official figures show why this matters. The 2023/24 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey found that nearly one in five employed adults in England (18.3%) met the survey criteria for a common mental health condition. Separately, the Health and Safety Executive estimates that 964,000 workers in Great Britain experienced work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2024/25.
Most of us will encounter someone who is struggling with their mental health at work, and we may experience difficulties ourselves. We do not need to diagnose or solve another person’s problems, but we can notice changes, start a supportive conversation and help the person find appropriate support.
This article explains common mental health problems, factors that can affect mental health, signs that someone may need support and practical ways to help at work.
Treat a mental health emergency as seriously as a physical emergency. Call 999 or go to A&E if someone has seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose, someone’s life is at immediate risk, or you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe. Stay with the person, if it is safe to do so, while help is arranged.
If help is urgent but there is no immediate danger, use the official service for the relevant UK nation:
- England: call NHS 111 and select the mental health option
- Wales: call NHS 111 and press 2
- Scotland: follow NHS inform’s urgent mental health guidance
- Northern Ireland: use the crisis and Lifeline guidance on nidirect
Samaritans provides free, confidential listening support throughout the UK and Ireland on 116 123, 24 hours a day. It is not a substitute for emergency medical care.
If you are concerned that someone may be suicidal, ask clearly and directly, for example: “Are you thinking about suicide?” Asking about suicide does not put the idea into someone’s head. Listen without judgement, take the answer seriously and help the person contact appropriate support. Do not promise confidentiality if someone’s immediate safety is at risk.
Stress, depression and anxiety are often discussed together, but the terms are not interchangeable. The HSE defines stress as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them” and notes that stress is not itself an illness, although it can make people ill. Depression and anxiety can be diagnosable mental health conditions.
Common mental health conditions include different types of depression and anxiety. Other conditions include schizophrenia, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). A diagnostic label alone does not indicate how severely someone is affected or what support they need.
Anxiety can describe a feeling as well as a group of mental health conditions. It may involve persistent worry, a sense of dread, irritability, difficulty concentrating or panic. Physical symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, tiredness, muscle tension or a noticeable heartbeat.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a specific condition in which anxiety about a range of issues is difficult to control and affects daily life. Panic disorder, phobias and social anxiety disorder are distinct conditions. Symptoms alone do not establish a diagnosis, and new or severe physical symptoms may need medical assessment.
Most people experience periods of low mood, but depression is more than feeling temporarily unhappy. Symptoms vary and may include persistent low mood or sadness, loss of interest or enjoyment, hopelessness, low self-esteem, fatigue, changes in sleep or appetite, irritability and difficulty concentrating. Some people have thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Depression can be less severe or more severe depending on the symptoms, their duration and their effect on daily life. The NHS advises seeing a GP if symptoms are present for most of the day, every day, for more than two weeks. Seek urgent help immediately if there is a risk of self-harm or suicide.
Some pressure can feel motivating, but excessive or prolonged pressure can lead to stress. The HSE describes stress as an adverse reaction rather than a beneficial low-level state.
Stress can affect people emotionally, mentally and physically. Someone experiencing stress may feel overwhelmed or exhausted, have racing thoughts or difficulty concentrating, experience changes in sleep or appetite, or use alcohol, smoking or other substances to cope.
Mental health problems rarely have one simple cause. Biological, psychological, social, environmental and workplace factors can interact, and the combination differs from person to person.
The HSE identifies six areas of work design associated with work-related stress when they are not managed properly:
- Demands, including workload, work patterns and the working environment
- Control over how work is carried out
- Support and resources from the organisation, managers and colleagues
- Relationships, including conflict, bullying and unacceptable behaviour
- Role clarity and conflicting responsibilities
- How organisational change is managed and communicated
Factors outside work may also affect someone’s mental health. These can include:
- Physical ill health or caring responsibilities
- Discrimination, stigma or social exclusion
- Alcohol or drug problems
- Domestic abuse or other violence
- Childhood or adult trauma
- Financial strain, debt or insecure housing
- Bereavement, relationship or family difficulties
- Loneliness or social isolation
There is no single sign that proves someone has a mental health condition. Signs vary, some people show no visible changes, and the behaviours below can have many explanations. Focus on changes from the person’s usual behaviour rather than trying to diagnose them.
Possible signs at work that someone is struggling with their mental health can include:
- Changes in attendance, punctuality or working patterns
- Presenteeism, meaning working while unwell
- A noticeable change in performance
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering information or making decisions
- Appearing unusually distressed or having more conflict with others
- Alcohol or drug use that is causing concern
Other possible signs include:
- Changes in eating or sleeping habits
- Persistent tiredness
- Unexplained aches and pains, which may also need physical health assessment
- Significant changes in mood or behaviour
- Appearing unusually tense, anxious or frightened
- Becoming socially withdrawn
- Expressing hopelessness, worthlessness, thoughts of self-harm or thoughts of suicide
Choose a private, appropriate time to talk. Describe what you have noticed without labelling the person or assuming a diagnosis, then ask an open question.
“I’ve noticed you seem quieter than usual, and I wanted to check in. How are things?”
If the person does not want to talk, do not press them. Let them know they can approach you later and consider arranging an appropriate follow-up if your concerns continue.
“That’s okay; you do not have to talk now. I’m here if you want to talk later.”
If they choose to talk, listen carefully, remain calm and avoid judgement. Do not minimise their experience, offer a diagnosis or immediately try to solve the problem. Ask what would help and whether they would like support contacting a GP, occupational health, an employee assistance programme or another service.
Respect the person’s privacy. Do not share what they tell you without permission unless there is a good reason, such as an immediate and serious risk to their safety or someone else’s. If information must be shared, explain what will be shared, with whom and why.
It is not your job to provide therapy or ongoing clinical support. Be realistic about what you can offer, maintain appropriate boundaries and look after your own wellbeing. If you are a manager, follow your organisation’s mental health, absence, safeguarding and emergency procedures.
A GP can discuss symptoms, consider possible physical causes, provide initial advice and refer someone to appropriate services.
In England, adults can also refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression without a GP referral or an existing diagnosis. Access routes differ elsewhere in the UK.
Workplace support may include a manager, HR, occupational health, a trade union representative, an employee assistance programme or a trusted colleague.
A trained mental health first aider may listen and signpost someone to appropriate help. But a mental health first aider is not a therapist or diagnostician and should not provide ongoing support beyond the boundaries of the role.
If one route does not feel appropriate or does not provide the help you need, try another. You can ask a GP about other options, contact a relevant NHS service or use a reputable mental health charity for information and signposting.
Check in with your mental health regularly. Seek support if symptoms are distressing, persistent, getting worse or interfering with work, relationships or daily life. You do not need to wait for symptoms to continue for months before asking for help.
Staying active, getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet and maintaining supportive relationships can contribute to wellbeing. These measures are not a substitute for professional assessment or treatment when it is needed.
In Great Britain, employers have a legal duty to assess the risk of work-related stress and act on it. A mental health problem may also meet the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010, in which case the employer must make reasonable adjustments. Northern Ireland has separate disability discrimination law, including a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants and employees. Adjustments may include changes to working hours, duties, communication, supervision or the working environment.
Mental health awareness training can help employees and managers recognise concerns, hold supportive conversations and understand available resources. Training works best alongside action on workplace risks, clear support pathways, appropriate confidentiality and access to qualified professional care.
You can find a range of online mental health and wellbeing courses on the Human Focus website. These courses can help employees and managers build awareness and learn how to signpost people to appropriate support.
