Investments in mental health and wellbeing have surged over the past decade and most organisations acknowledge mental health as an important business issue. Yet many struggle to convert these efforts into meaningful outcomes – only a quarter of the UK’s largest companies have improved workplace mental health.*
And as we navigate a dynamic workplace landscape, people managers are facing increasing challenges in safeguarding their teams’ mental health. With 2025 on the horizon, it’s clear that a recalibration of priorities is essential to meet the evolving needs of a diverse, and often dispersed workforce.
I’ve identified six critical focus areas for people managers to effectively support employee wellbeing, while fostering resilient workplace cultures.
- Individualise wellbeing support
Every employee brings diverse experiences, unique challenges, and varying needs to the workplace, making one-size-fits-all initiatives often ineffective.
Actively working to understand your employees, and customising support to meet their needs, can help to build trust and ensures that individual problems can be effectively addressed. This might mean ensuring caregivers and working parents have flexible working hours, offering specialised mental health support for those experiencing the menopause, or providing resources to help employees navigate personal challenges – such as financial difficulties, grief, or long-term illness.
- Approach employee wellbeing holistically
Mental and physical health are inextricably linked and ignoring this relationship can limit the effectiveness of mental health strategies. There’s a growing body of research to suggest that long-term physical health conditions negatively impact mental health, most often depression or anxiety. Whilst sleep deprivation, for example, can hinder emotional intelligence, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
By viewing wellbeing holistically, organisations empower employees to build resilience across all aspects of their lives. Employers who prioritise holistic wellbeing not only enhance individual health, but also increase productivity and drive organisational success.
- Recognise the unique challenges facing hybrid workers
Hybrid working has transformed the modern workplace – although it can offer greater flexibility and autonomy, it also presents new challenges. For remote or hybrid workers, the risk of isolation, loneliness, and an “always-on” culture looms large.
To support hybrid teams, people managers must focus on strategies that nurture connection and balance, such as:
- Boundary setting: Encourage employees to log off after hours and avoid normalising late-night email culture.
- Fostering connection: Regular virtual check-ins and in-person team events can help to combat isolation.
- Equality of opportunity: Ensure hybrid workers have access to the same resources, development opportunities, and recognition as their on-site peers.
With the right support, organisations can create an environment where hybrid employees are able to thrive, both personally and professionally.
- Refresh managerial mental health training
Managers wield significant influence over their teams’ mental health – in fact, research suggests managers impact employee mental health more than doctors or therapists. Yet, few managers feel fully equipped to manage mental health – according to a survey by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, only 31% of managers feel they have received adequate training to recognise the signs of poor mental health.
The problem not only lies in a lack of appropriate training, but also in the absence of ongoing training. Mental health is ever-changing, so ongoing and regularly updated learning is essential to ensure employees are effectively supported.
- Ensure leadership buy-in
A robust mental health strategy cannot thrive without genuine support from senior leadership. Leadership buy-in sets the tone for the entire organisation, signalling that mental health is not just an HR issue but a shared responsibility and a strategic priority.
Leaders can actively demonstrate their commitment by allocating sufficient budgets for wellbeing initiatives, incorporating mental health metrics into business performance goals, and sharing their own challenges or wellbeing practices to help de-stigmatise mental health issues.
- Build psychological safety
Psychological safety – where employees feel free to express themselves without fear of judgment or negative consequences – is the bedrock of mental health in the workplace. However, research suggests that many organisations are lacking this fundamental aspect of mental health.
In the UK, a significant proportion of employees do not feel they can have an open dialogue with their employer about mental health. According to one survey, 57% of UK employees do not feel comfortable discussing mental health conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, or depression with their colleagues and employers.
For employers, there should be an ongoing commitment to creating psychological safety in the workplace, with key focuses including:
- Active listening: Managers should offer empathy and validation during sensitive conversations.
- Confidentiality: Employees need to trust that their disclosures won’t be used against them.
- Visible policy enforcement: Ensure workplace policies protect those who speak out and eliminate punitive repercussions.
When employees feel psychologically safe, they are also more likely to engage with mental health resources and initiatives, ultimately improving their own wellbeing and that of their teams.
Mental health is at the core of organisational success
Poor mental wellbeing costs employers in the UK an estimated £42 to £45 billion annually through presenteeism, sickness absence and staff turnover. However, taking a preventative approach and addressing these six priorities can help employers to turn investment into impact, ensuring their workforce is resilient, engaged, and prepared for the challenges ahead.
The workplace of 2025 demands a sophisticated, responsive approach to mental health. People managers hold the keys to fostering individualised, holistic, and inclusive strategies that address the evolving needs of their teams. Mental health is no longer a peripheral concern – it’s a critical driver of organisational success.
*According to the CCLA Corporate Mental Health Benchmark
