Employee mental wellbeing is no longer optional in today’s fast-paced business world – it’s a critical factor for organisational success. Yet, despite increased awareness and initiatives aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing, the stark and tragic reality remains: 17 people die by suicide every day in the UK.

Suicide is also more common than most people realise, with 1 in 5 people considering suicide in their lifetime, and 1 in 15 making a suicide attempt. As the Head of Training with Grassroots Suicide Prevention, I’ve seen first-hand the critical impact of proactive suicide prevention strategies in the workplace.  Human Resources professionals have a vital role to play in these strategies through providing the appropriate training and resources.

That’s why we’re proud to be taking part in the UK’s national suicide prevention charity, Baton of Hope’s first conference on May 16^th.  The conference will see the launch of the Workplace Pledge, a comprehensive and practical guide for organisations covering what they can do to help address this issue. The event is open to all and tickets are available at https://batonofhopeuk.org/events/.

The cost of inaction is high—but preventable

The economic statistics are sobering. According to Deloitte, UK businesses lost £56 billion in 2021 due to mental health-related issues, and work-related stress, depression, or anxiety accounted for 17 million lost workdays. Behind these numbers are real people struggling with real issues, often silently and alone. Wellbeing must become a strategic priority for organisations of every size – not only to support employees experiencing anxiety and stress, but also to prevent people from becoming overwhelmed and overworked in the first place.

The devastating impact of suicide in the workplace demands urgent action. HR professionals have a crucial role to play in equipping managers to safeguard their teams and create a culture of support. Here’s how:

• Specialised Training: Offer suicide prevention training tailored for managers. This should cover identifying risk factors, recognising warning signs, confidently starting supportive conversations, and knowing where to direct employees for immediate help.
• Actionable Resources: Provide managers with a toolkit of suicide prevention resources, such as the Stay Alive app from Grassroots Suicide Prevention. This includes safety planning, emergency contacts, coping strategies, and resources for mental health support
• Breaking the Silence: HR Directors can champion an environment where talking about suicide is destigmatised. Encourage managers to lead by example, demonstrating openness to difficult conversations and highlighting the availability of confidential support services.

Knowledgeable managers and colleagues act as a safety net. They can identify those who are struggling and offer pathways to help, potentially saving lives. HR’s commitment to suicide prevention training helps to create a workplace where people don’t feel alone, ultimately contributing to a safer and more compassionate work environment.

Grassroots Suicide Prevention empowers individuals, organisations, and communities to develop the skills and confidence to have conversations about suicide through our bespoke and evidence-based suicide prevention training courses. We have trained over 60,000 people in suicide prevention skills. 70% of people who do our training go on to use the skills they have learnt within 6 months of the course to help support someone at risk of suicide. In the last year, we have seen a 400% increase in suicide prevention training enquiries, indicating the growing importance of this issue and the support we provide.

Our suicide prevention training covers a wide range of needs. We provide employees with foundational awareness, helping them recognise risk factors, spot warning signs, and confidently share tools like our Stay Alive app. For managers and senior leaders, we offer in-depth training, equipping them to handle difficult conversations and create a supportive workplace culture. We believe suicide prevention training and access to free resources should be a core part of employee onboarding and reflected in organisation’s wellbeing policies. Our training and resources are developed in collaboration with those who have lived experience with suicide, ensuring their relevance and impact.

Building on this strong educational background, our Stay Alive suicide prevention app was launched  in 2014 as the first of its kind in the UK. Stay Alive is a powerful tool designed to provide immediate support and resources to individuals who may be at risk of suicide, and those supporting someone at risk. Stay Alive offers a range of features, including safety planning, emergency contacts, coping strategies, and resources for mental health support. The app has proven to be effective in helping users during critical moments of distress and has helped to save countless lives. The statistics below are from a 2020 study by the Kent, Surrey, Sussex NHS Academic Health Science Network involving 200 users of the Stay Alive app:

• 76% of at-risk individuals reported the Stay Alive app helped them stay safe from suicide.
• 80% of people using the app said it helped them keep someone else safe from suicide.

This free resource is available as both a webapp and Android and iOS devices, with bulk download options for larger organisations. It’s a great starting point for building awareness within your organisation and also acts as a helpful refresher following training.

The Baton of Hope Workplace Pledge

The Baton of Hope Workplace Pledge offers a framework to guide organisations toward comprehensive suicide prevention. This involves raising awareness, providing support resources, and prioritising mental wellbeing within the workplace. The pledge is designed to be adaptable, with guidance from the Baton of Hope and Grassroots Suicide Prevention, ensuring it aligns with your organisation’s specific needs.

By signing the pledge, you commit to these key principles:

• Prioritise suicide awareness, prevention, and support in the workplace.
• Provide clear messaging on suicide in communications and training.
• Offer suicide prevention resources and early intervention support.
• Champion those with lived experience of mental health challenges.
• Promote crisis services and support resources.
• Actively spread the message of the pledge to amplify its impact.

Take action now

• Contact Grassroots Suicide Prevention to start a conversation about the best training options for your organisation.
• Sign the Baton of Hope Workplace Pledge
• Download the free Stay Alive app from Grassroots Suicide Prevention and share it with your teams – bulk downloads available for organisations.