Mental health is a normal part of life and a normal part of work. Everyone has mental health, just as everyone has physical health, and it can change over time depending on life events, work pressures, and support available.

Work can have a positive impact on mental health by providing purpose, routine, income and social connection. However, when pressures are poorly managed or support is lacking, work can also contribute to mental ill health.

For line managers, understanding mental health at work is a key part of supporting people effectively and creating a healthy, productive workplace.

Work and Mental Health

Work can have a positive effect on mental health. It can provide structure, purpose, financial security and social connection. For many people, good work is beneficial to wellbeing and recovery.

However, work can also contribute to poor mental health if pressures are unmanaged or support is lacking.

Mental ill health is far more common than many people realise:

• 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year

• 1 in 6 working-age adults experience mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression

• 1 in 2 people will experience a mental health condition at some point in their lifetime

This means that in any team, at any time, someone may be experiencing poor mental health — whether it is visible or not.

Factors such as high workload, long hours, lack of control, poor relationships, unclear expectations or job insecurity can increase stress and anxiety. When these pressures combine with challenges outside work, the impact on mental health can be significant.

Mind highlights that poor mental health is one of the leading causes of sickness absence in the UK, but many people continue to work while struggling. This is sometimes referred to as presenteeism — being at work but not functioning at full capacity due to mental health difficulties.

What Affects Mental Health at Work?

Mental health is influenced by a combination of work-related factors and external pressures. These often interact with each other.

Work-Related Factors

• Workload and deadlines

• Job demands and role clarity

• Change, uncertainty or job insecurity

• Relationships with colleagues and managers, including conflict at work

• Levels of control, flexibility and autonomy

• Organisational culture and attitudes

Positive management practices can help protect mental health, while unmanaged pressure can increase stress and risk.

Mental Health Is Influenced by More Than Work

While work plays an important role, mental health is also shaped by factors outside the workplace. Employees do not leave their personal lives at the door when they come to work.

People may be affected by caring responsibilities, bereavement, physical health conditions, financial worries, relationship difficulties or other major life events. These experiences can affect concentration, energy levels, confidence and emotional resilience.

A supportive work environment can help reduce the impact of these pressures. A lack of understanding or flexibility can make them much harder to manage.

Many factors affecting mental health sit outside the workplace, but they still affect how people feel and function at work.

Why Mental Health at Work Matters

Supporting mental health at work matters because:

• Poor mental health is a leading cause of sickness absence

• Many people continue to work while struggling, often in silence

• Early support can prevent problems from escalating

• People perform better when they feel supported and understood

For organisations, good mental health support improves retention, engagement and productivity. For individuals, it can make the difference between coping and crisis.

The Role of Line Managers

Line managers play a crucial role in mental health at work because they:

• Shape day-to-day working experience

• Set expectations around workload and behaviour

• Influence whether people feel safe to speak up

• Are often the first to notice changes in behaviour or performance

Managers are not expected to diagnose or treat mental health conditions. Their role is to manage work well, listen, and signpost support when needed.

Why Line Managers Matter

Research and guidance from organisations such as Mind consistently show that line managers have a significant influence on mental health at work. The way work is organised, communicated and supported on a day-to-day basis can either protect mental wellbeing or contribute to stress.

Line managers are often:

• The first to notice changes in behaviour, mood or performance

• The main point of contact for workload, flexibility and support

• Key to whether employees feel safe to talk about mental health

Managing mental health at work does not mean diagnosing conditions or acting as a therapist. It means managing people well: setting clear expectations, having regular conversations, listening without judgement and responding appropriately when someone is struggling.

Boundaries and the Manager’s Role

Supporting mental health at work also means maintaining clear and healthy boundaries. Line managers should offer empathy, flexibility and practical support, while recognising the limits of their role.

Good boundaries include:

• Listening without trying to diagnose or counsel

• Focusing on work impact and reasonable adjustments

• Keeping information confidential and sharing only on a need-to-know basis

• Knowing when to involve HR or occupational health

Maintaining boundaries protects both the employee and the manager, and helps ensure support is consistent, appropriate and sustainable.

Stigma and Disclosure

Despite growing awareness, stigma around mental health remains a real issue in many workplaces. Mind’s research shows that many employees are reluctant to talk openly about mental health for fear of being judged, treated differently or damaging their career.

As a result, people may hide difficulties, delay asking for help, or only disclose when problems reach crisis point. This makes early support harder and can lead to longer periods of absence or disengagement. Despite increased awareness, stigma around mental health remains common in workplaces. Many employees worry about being judged, treated differently, or harming their career if they speak openly.

As a result:

• People may hide difficulties

• Problems may only be disclosed when they reach crisis point

Creating an open, respectful culture where mental health can be discussed like physical health is essential.

Creating a positive working culture around mental health

Creating an open culture where mental health is treated with the same seriousness and respect as physical health is a key part of reducing stigma. When people feel safe to talk, concerns are more likely to be raised early, before they escalate.

Line managers help shape this culture through everyday actions, such as being approachable, listening without judgement and responding consistently. A positive culture is not about removing all pressure, but about ensuring people feel supported and able to ask for help.

Examples of positive culture in practice include:

• Regular check-ins that include wellbeing, not just performance

• Managers responding calmly and supportively when someone raises a concern

• Normalising conversations about mental health, especially during change or pressure

• Treating mental health adjustments in the same way as physical health needs

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Confidentiality is an important part of building trust. Employees should feel able to talk to their manager about mental health without fear that information will be shared unnecessarily.

As a general principle, information about an employee’s mental health should be treated sensitively and shared only on a need-to-know basis, and ideally with the employee’s knowledge or consent.

There are, however, some clear exceptions where information may need to be shared, for example:

• If there is a serious risk to the employee’s safety or the safety of others

• Where legal or safeguarding obligations apply

• When specialist support is needed from HR, occupational health or senior management

Managers should be honest about these limits from the start. Being clear about confidentiality and its exceptions helps build trust and avoids misunderstandings if information later needs to be shared.

Mental Health and Employment

Employment and mental health are closely linked. Good work can support recovery and wellbeing, while unemployment or poor work experiences can worsen mental health.

Evidence shows that many people with mental health conditions want to work and can work successfully when the right support is in place. Simple adjustments, flexibility and understanding management can make a significant difference to someone’s ability to stay in work or return after a period of difficulty.

From an employment perspective, supporting mental health is not just about legal duties or policies. It is about creating sustainable working conditions where people can perform well and stay well.

Signposting Support

An important part of managing mental health at work is knowing where to direct someone for further help. Line managers are not mental health professionals, and it is not their role to fix personal problems.

Signposting may include:

• Internal support such as HR, occupational health, employee assistance programmes (EAPs) or mental health champions

• External support such as a GP, NHS services, Mind or other specialist charities

• Encouraging early help-seeking rather than waiting for a crisis

Clear signposting helps employees access the right support while ensuring managers remain within their role.

A Shared Responsibility

Mental health at work is a shared responsibility:

• Organisations set culture, policies and expectations

• Line managers shape everyday experience and support

• Individuals are encouraged to look after their wellbeing and seek help early

When all three work together, workplaces become healthier, safer and more inclusive.

Key Message

Mental health at work is not about managing illness— it’s about managing people well. You do not need to be an expert in mental health. As a line manager you do need to create the conditions where people feel supported, listened to and able to do their best work.