This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and an important opportunity to reflect on how we manage wellbeing in the workplace.

If you are leading a team or business, it can feel like your task list never ends, but one fact deserves immediate attention – employees in the UK are facing some of Europe’s most challenging work conditions, characterised by excessive hours and tight deadlines.

The numbers speak volumes

We have all heard stories and seen headlines, but now there is clear evidence.

The Mental Health Foundation calculates that poor mental health costs UK employers between £42 and £45 billion annually.

This goes beyond absence, it includes reduced productivity, higher staff turnover and the subtle but damaging issue of presenteeism, where employees turn up but are unable to perform effectively.

Are people just becoming more open about mental health? That is partly true and positive, but there is more to it.

A recent survey worked on by recruitment company Reed and mental health charity SANE, found 85 per cent of workers have experienced burnout symptoms, with almost half feeling the need for recovery time.

The unspoken barrier

While discussions about mental health are increasingly common, stigma remains a problem.

10 per cent of employees who took mental health leave admitted they were not comfortable disclosing the real reason.

Over a quarter who needed time off did not take it, fearing judgement, workload repercussions or financial impacts.

Just because employees are not openly voicing concerns does not mean all is well.

Sometimes, silence signals a deeper issue.

The compelling business rationale

Mental health support is as commercially smart as it is ethically necessary.

Oxford University’s research, using data from Indeed, identifies a direct correlation between employee wellbeing and organisational performance.

Happier employees significantly outperform their peers.

Deloitte adds another layer of financial clarity. Their research indicates that every £1 invested in mental health initiatives typically yields a return of £4.70.

Few other investments can promise such a return.

Practical steps we can take

Effective mental health strategies extend beyond token gestures such as mindfulness posters or occasional wellness sessions.

While these can help, lasting impact requires deeper actions:

Ask yourself:

• Does everyone clearly understand our sick leave policy?
• Are managers properly trained to recognise early burnout signs?
• Is workload realistically matched to team capacity?
• Have we genuinely created a culture of openness and support?

Vitality’s research revealed that more than one-third of employees don’t know their company’s sick leave policy. Clearly, better communication and transparency are needed.

Advice for SMEs and smaller teams

If you run a smaller business, it is tempting to believe mental health policies belong only in large corporate HR departments.

In reality, mental health often matters even more in smaller teams.

You can quickly spot when a colleague struggles, but are you equipped to support them?

A lasting commitment

Public attitudes towards mental health can fluctuate, as recent research by King’s College London indicates a slight change in attitudes.

As discussions become commonplace, there is a danger that urgency diminishes.

However, the truth is that mental health is integral to morale, productivity, employee retention and business reputation.

Let us not simply acknowledge mental health quietly and face these challenges head on to build a better support network for employees.