World mental health day 2026: building a mentally healthier workplace starts with what we do every day

10 October 2026 | WorkplaceHero Insights

Every year on 10 October, organisations around the world recognise World Mental Health Day.

Social media fills with messages of support. Businesses share wellbeing resources, host awareness sessions and encourage employees to speak openly about their mental health.

These activities can be valuable. They help create conversations that might otherwise never happen.

But there is a question worth asking.

What happens on 11 October?

When the awareness posts disappear, the presentations finish and everyone returns to their usual responsibilities, what has actually changed?

Are managers better equipped to support their teams?

Are employees more confident that their concerns will be taken seriously?

Have organisations addressed the working conditions that may contribute to stress?

And, perhaps most importantly, are we measuring the impact of our actions, or simply recording that an awareness activity took place?

At WorkplaceHero, we believe that professional development and organisational improvement should lead to meaningful change.

Mental health at work deserves exactly the same approach.

Mental health at work is more than an awareness campaign

Awareness matters.

Understanding mental health, recognising when someone may be experiencing difficulties and challenging stigma are important foundations.

But awareness alone cannot resolve every workplace issue.

An employee may understand the importance of mental wellbeing while still facing an unmanageable workload.

A manager may complete mental health awareness training while lacking the authority or support to address persistent problems within their team.

An organisation may promote an employee assistance programme while employees remain uncomfortable raising concerns about their working conditions.

These examples highlight an important distinction.

Supporting mental health involves both helping individuals and examining the environment in which they work.

The World Health Organization's guidance on mental health at work recognises the importance of organisational interventions, manager training, worker awareness and appropriate support for people experiencing mental health conditions.

This means that meaningful workplace mental health strategies need to extend beyond individual resilience.

They also need to consider leadership, job design, relationships, communication and organisational culture.

The workplace itself can influence mental health

Work can provide purpose, financial security, social connection and opportunities for personal development.

But poorly managed working conditions can also contribute to stress and poor mental health.

In Great Britain, the Health and Safety Executive identifies six key areas of work design associated with work-related stress.

Area	Questions organisations should ask
Demands	Are workloads, deadlines and working patterns manageable?
Control	Do employees have appropriate influence over how they carry out their work?
Support	Can employees access the guidance, resources and assistance they need?
Relationships	Are inappropriate behaviours addressed and respectful relationships encouraged?
Role	Do employees understand their responsibilities and what is expected of them?
Change	Are organisational changes communicated and managed effectively?

These areas provide a practical starting point for examining workplace conditions.

For example, offering employees a wellbeing webinar may be helpful.

But if employees consistently report excessive workloads, the organisation also needs to consider how work is allocated and managed.

Likewise, encouraging employees to speak openly is positive.

But those conversations need to be supported by a culture where people can raise concerns without fear of unfair treatment.

Mental health support should not depend entirely on employees becoming better at coping with avoidable workplace pressures.

1. Managers need more than good intentions

Line managers play an important role in shaping employees' day-to-day experiences.

They influence workloads, communication, feedback, development opportunities and how concerns are handled.

Yet many people become managers because they are technically skilled or experienced in their profession.

That doesn't automatically mean they have received training in supporting employee wellbeing.

A manager may genuinely want to help but feel uncertain about:

How to begin a sensitive conversation.
What to say when someone discloses a mental health difficulty.
How to respond appropriately to signs of distress.
When to involve HR or occupational health.
How to discuss workload and workplace adjustments.
How to maintain confidentiality.
How to support someone returning after an absence.

These are capabilities that can be developed.

What effective manager development should cover

Mental health-related management training should help managers recognise when support may be needed, communicate sensitively, understand relevant workplace responsibilities and know when to seek specialist assistance.

Importantly, managers should not be expected to diagnose mental health conditions or provide clinical treatment.

Their role is to manage work appropriately, respond with care and help employees access suitable support.

A practical example

Imagine an employee who has recently become withdrawn during meetings and is struggling to meet deadlines.

An unhelpful response might be:

"You've not been yourself lately. You need to sort your performance out."

A more constructive approach could be:

"I've noticed you've seemed under pressure recently, and a few deadlines have been difficult to meet. I'd like to understand whether anything at work is making things harder and what support might help."

This approach doesn't assume a diagnosis.

It opens a conversation about work and support.

The manager can then listen, agree appropriate next steps and involve relevant support services where necessary.

2. Psychological safety should be demonstrated, not simply declared

Many organisations describe themselves as open, inclusive and supportive.

But employees judge workplace culture through their experiences.

What happens when someone admits they've made a mistake?

Can employees challenge a decision respectfully?

Are concerns taken seriously?

Do managers respond constructively to feedback?

Psychological safety is about whether people feel able to speak up, ask questions, acknowledge mistakes and raise concerns without expecting humiliation or unfair punishment.

It is not the same as being comfortable all the time, and it doesn't mean avoiding accountability.

Instead, it supports an environment where people can communicate honestly and learn from challenges.

Five ways managers can encourage psychological safety

Invite different perspectives. Ask employees what they think before presenting your preferred solution.
Respond constructively to mistakes. Focus on understanding causes and improving practice while maintaining appropriate accountability.
Follow through on concerns. Explain what action has been taken, or why a particular request cannot be met.
Demonstrate openness to feedback. Managers should be willing to consider how their own actions affect the team.
Make development conversations meaningful. Employees should feel able to discuss learning needs without automatically being judged as incapable.

These behaviours are developed through consistent practice, not a single awareness session.

3. Professional development can support healthier workplace cultures

Learning and development has an important contribution to make.

But organisations should think carefully about the training they provide.

Mental health awareness training can improve understanding and challenge misconceptions.

Manager development can strengthen communication, listening and appropriate responses to employee concerns.

Leadership training can support better delegation, feedback and workload management.

Conflict resolution training can help managers address difficult situations before they escalate.

However, training is not a substitute for addressing harmful working conditions.

If the underlying problem is excessive workload, the solution cannot simply be another course on resilience.

What might a meaningful development programme include?

Development area	Intended workplace benefit
Mental health awareness	Improve understanding and reduce stigma
Supportive management conversations	Build confidence in responding appropriately
Effective communication	Encourage clarity, listening and respectful dialogue
Workload and resource planning	Help managers identify and manage unrealistic demands
Conflict resolution	Support constructive responses to workplace disagreements
Inclusive leadership	Strengthen fair and supportive management practices
Change management	Improve communication and support during organisational change

The important question is not simply whether employees completed the training.

It is whether the organisation can identify changes in knowledge, behaviour and working practices.

4. One-to-one meetings should be about more than performance

Regular one-to-one conversations provide an opportunity to understand how employees are experiencing their work.

But they can easily become task updates.

"What have you completed?"

"What's outstanding?"

"Are we on target?"

These questions have their place.

However, effective management conversations should also create space to discuss workload, support and development.

Five questions managers could ask

How manageable is your workload at the moment?
Is anything making your role unnecessarily difficult?
Do you feel you have the support and resources you need?
Is there anything we could change about how the team works?
What would help you feel more confident or supported in your role?

Managers should listen without pressuring employees to disclose personal medical information.

An employee may want to discuss workplace pressures without explaining a health condition.

That should be respected.

Where someone does disclose a health concern, the manager should follow appropriate organisational procedures and seek specialist guidance where needed.

5. Organisations need to listen to their workforce

It is difficult to improve something you don't properly understand.

Organisations often measure training completion, employee turnover, absence and performance.

But how effectively do they understand the day-to-day experiences behind those figures?

Employee feedback can help identify areas where workplace practices may need attention.

For example:

Are workloads manageable?
Do employees feel supported by managers?
Are expectations clear?
Can people raise concerns safely?
Is organisational change communicated effectively?
Do employees feel respected and included?

Anonymous surveys, appropriately facilitated discussions and existing workforce information can all contribute to this understanding.

Looking beyond individual survey responses

One employee reporting excessive workload is worth listening to.

If a substantial proportion of a department reports the same concern, that may indicate a broader organisational issue requiring investigation.

This is where aggregated workforce analytics become useful.

Workforce indicator	What leaders might explore
Workload feedback	Are concerns concentrated in particular teams or roles?
Manager support ratings	Where might leadership development be beneficial?
Employee voice	Do employees feel able to raise concerns?
Development opportunities	Are employees receiving appropriate support to grow?
Staff turnover	Are there patterns that warrant further investigation?
Sickness absence	Are there trends that should prompt a sensitive, wider review?
Organisational change feedback	Do employees understand and feel supported through change?

These indicators require careful interpretation.

For example, sickness absence should not automatically be treated as evidence of poor mental health or ineffective management.

Similarly, survey findings cannot diagnose individuals or establish the cause of a mental health condition.

The purpose of organisational insight should be to improve working conditions, not to monitor or label individual employees.

Privacy, appropriate aggregation and protection against identifying individuals are essential, particularly when dealing with sensitive information.

6. Mental health and performance should not be treated as opposites

Supporting employee mental health does not mean abandoning performance expectations.

And managing performance should not mean ignoring an employee's wellbeing.

Both responsibilities can exist together.

For example, when an employee is struggling to meet expectations, a manager should seek to understand the circumstances rather than immediately assuming a lack of effort or commitment.

Relevant questions might include:

Are the expectations clear?
Is the workload reasonable?
Has the employee received appropriate training?
Are the necessary resources available?
Is there a workplace barrier that needs addressing?
Could adjustments or additional support be appropriate?

Where an employee has a disability, employers may also have duties to consider reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.

The appropriate response will depend on the circumstances.

A fair and supportive performance management process considers both the requirements of the role and the individual's situation.

7. Measure the difference, not just the activity

One of the challenges with workplace awareness campaigns is that they are often evaluated through participation.

How many people attended the webinar?

How many completed the course?

How many downloaded the wellbeing guide?

These figures can be useful.

But they don't tell the whole story.

For example, if 95% of managers complete mental health awareness training, the organisation knows that the activity was completed.

It doesn't yet know whether managers feel more confident holding supportive conversations or whether employees experience better support.

A stronger evaluation approach could consider:

Before development: What knowledge, confidence or capability needs improvement?

After development: What has been learned?

During practice: Are managers applying relevant approaches appropriately?

Over time: Is employee feedback identifying improvements or continuing concerns?

Even then, organisations should avoid claiming that training alone caused changes in employee wellbeing.

Workplace mental health is influenced by many factors, both inside and outside work.

The aim is to use evidence to guide continuous improvement.

8. A practical 30-day action plan for employers

World Mental Health Day can be a useful opportunity to begin a more sustained programme of improvement.

Here's a practical approach.

Week 1: listen

Review existing employee feedback and invite employees to share views about workload, support, communication and workplace culture.

Ensure participation is appropriate and confidentiality is respected.

Week 2: identify priorities

Look for recurring concerns and assess relevant work-related stress risks.

Avoid trying to solve everything at once.

Select a small number of meaningful priorities.

Week 3: support managers

Identify where managers may need additional guidance or development.

This could include supportive conversations, workload planning, mental health awareness or knowing when to refer employees for specialist support.

Week 4: agree actions and accountability

For each priority, establish:

What needs to change.
Who is responsible.
What resources are required.
When progress will be reviewed.
How employees will be informed.

Then keep the work going beyond the initial month.

A mental health strategy should not disappear when the campaign ends.

How WorkplaceHero fits into the conversation

At WorkplaceHero, our focus is on helping individuals and organisations make professional development more meaningful.

We believe that learning, reflection, feedback and organisational improvement should connect.

For individuals, maintaining a professional development record can help make learning more visible and support continued growth.

For managers, structured development conversations and clear objectives can help create more consistent opportunities for support.

For organisations, training oversight, employee development processes and aggregated workforce feedback can help leaders understand where further action may be needed.

WorkplaceHero's tools support areas including:

Professional development and CPD recording.
Training and development oversight.
Employee appraisals and one-to-one conversations.
Development objectives and follow-up actions.
Organisational feedback and workforce insights, where available.

These tools can support good management practices, but they are not mental health assessment or treatment services.

Technology cannot replace compassionate leadership, appropriate professional support or an organisation's responsibility to manage workplace risks.

Explore WorkplaceHero's organisational development tools

What employees can do this world mental health day

Creating mentally healthier workplaces is primarily an organisational responsibility, but employees can also contribute to a respectful and supportive culture.

That might include:

Treating colleagues with dignity and respect.
Avoiding assumptions about someone else's mental health.
Being willing to listen without trying to diagnose or fix everything.
Raising workplace concerns through appropriate channels.
Respecting personal boundaries and confidentiality.
Taking part in relevant professional development.
Seeking support when needed.

Nobody should feel pressured to share personal experiences of mental illness to demonstrate their commitment to awareness.

Participation in mental health conversations should be respectful and voluntary.

Five questions every leadership team should ask today

As World Mental Health Day comes around, senior leaders might consider:

Do we understand the main sources of work-related stress in our organisation?
Have our managers received appropriate development to support employees effectively?
Can employees raise concerns without fear of unfair treatment?
Are we using workforce feedback to make meaningful improvements?
What will we do differently after World Mental Health Day?

The fifth question may be the most important.

Awareness creates an opportunity.

Action determines whether that opportunity leads to change.

Frequently asked questions

When is world mental health day?

World Mental Health Day takes place annually on 10 October.

Why is world mental health day important for employers?

It provides an opportunity to raise awareness, challenge stigma and review how organisational practices support employee mental health.

What can managers do to support mental health at work?

Managers can communicate sensitively, listen to concerns, review work-related pressures, consider appropriate support and know when to involve HR, occupational health or other relevant services.

Is mental health awareness training enough?

No. Awareness training can be useful, but organisations should also assess and address work-related risks, provide appropriate support and develop effective management practices.

What is psychological safety?

Psychological safety concerns whether people feel able to speak up, ask questions and raise concerns without expecting humiliation or unfair punishment.

How can organisations measure improvements in workplace wellbeing?

They can review appropriately collected employee feedback, work-related risk assessments, management practices and relevant workforce trends. Measures should be interpreted carefully and protect individual privacy.

Can professional development improve workplace mental health?

Relevant development can strengthen awareness, communication and management capability. However, training should complement, not replace, action to address workplace risks.

Final thoughts: what will your organisation do on 11 October?

World Mental Health Day is an important reminder that mental health deserves attention.

But the real test of an organisation's commitment isn't the number of posts it publishes or the number of employees who attend an awareness session.

It's what happens afterwards.

Whether managers feel equipped to support their teams.

Whether employees feel listened to.

Whether workplace pressures are identified and addressed.

Whether leaders act on feedback.

And whether the organisation continues to learn and improve.

At WorkplaceHero, we believe professional development should lead to meaningful action.

This World Mental Health Day, let's move beyond awareness and make that action part of everyday working life.

Discover how WorkplaceHero supports learning, development and organisational improvement

World mental health day 2026: beyond awareness at work