Mental Health at Work: Real Stories and Practical Advice
Mental health is essential to our overall wellbeing and affects every aspect of our lives, especially work. This year, World Mental Health Day, on the 10th of October, focuses on mental health in the workplace. We spoke to three of Open Mental Health’s Expert by Experience Leaders (EbEL), Debbie, Jo and Suzi, about their experiences balancing mental health with professional responsibilities, and they gave practical tips for employers and employees to help build a healthier work environment.
The Cost of Poor Mental Health in the Workplace
According to Public Health England, poor mental health costs UK employers around £45 billion every year. As Jo points out, reflecting on her own experiences, “It’s not just about money that could be saved—it’s lives that could be saved. A kind, understanding environment can make all the difference.”
Balancing Work and Home Life
Before moving to Somerset, Suzi had a rewarding but challenging job. She now has a role with Open Mental Health (OMH), where she sits on the Partnership Board. Suzi says it’s important to wear different “hats” at work and at home. “I like to think of having my work head on at work, and then when I’m home, I take that head off and focus on other things,” she explained.
However, leaving work-related worries behind isn’t always easy. Suzi said, “It’s not the work itself that I take home; it’s more the personal relationships at work—wondering if someone’s comment was directed at me or at the team.”
Many people find it difficult to separate their work and personal lives; mentally dividing them requires conscious effort. Employers increasingly recognise that staff perform better if they relax and destress outside working hours. Staying late or answering emails after hours is bad for us and can lead to sick days and loss of productivity. So encouraging breaks, respecting boundaries, and promoting a healthy work-life balance are steps many employers take to support their teams.
Avoiding Burnout
“I was promoted in my old job, and suddenly, the amount of paperwork and responsibility increased massively,” Suzi said, reflecting on the stress that can come with additional duties. “There’s a lot to juggle, and at times, it feels like it’s never-ending.”
As work tasks increase, our mental health can decrease. Employers can help staff members avoid unnecessary stress by ensuring that when someone takes on new responsibilities, they’re given the support and resources needed to manage the new workload.
We should all try to protect our mental health just as we do our physical health; it’s important to recognise when our workload has become overwhelming. Rather than risking our mental wellbeing, we should take a step back. Prioritising tasks, delegating where possible, and communicating openly with managers about our needs can help reduce the pressure. Debbie stressed the importance of self-care at work: “Sometimes, I just need to take a moment and breathe. It doesn’t have to be long, but it makes all the difference.”
A Safe Space to Share Mental Health Concerns
Regular check-ins with employees, where managers ask how they’re coping and if they need help, can go a long way toward preventing a deterioration in mental health. Debbie’s mental health suffered when she felt unsupported during a challenging period. “When I worked as a receptionist at a GP surgery, I didn’t feel I had the backing I needed when things got tough. There were days I felt overwhelmed, but I didn’t get the support to handle it.”
Jo has observed that building trust during one-to-one meetings between managers and staff allows these conversations to become opportunities for employees to discuss their mental health. But an employee needs to feel safe doing so. Without trust, it’s hard for someone to open up.
Jo said, “If there’s enough trust, people feel they can actually talk about their mental health with their manager.” She believes managers shouldn’t shy away from directly asking about mental health in these conversations and that regular, positive meetings can help maintain an employee’s mental health.
One-to-ones are most effective when the manager shows genuine understanding and employees are more likely to be open about their struggles when they feel understood. “It really helps when managers actually get it, you know, not just ticking boxes but really understanding,” Jo said.
Free training is available in Somerset to help people develop a better understanding of mental health challenges and ways to support people experiencing them. OMH partner Mind in Somerset offers multiple courses, and Somerset Council has courses in Mental Health First Aid (MFHA) and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), amongst others.
The Orange Button scheme aims to provide people with quality assured Mental Health or Suicide Prevention training so they can help others find relevant services locally.
The Value of a Kind Workplace
Jo believes a kind workplace is the most important ingredient for better mental health. She said, “I just think, let’s treat each other well.” In Jo’s view, kindness at work allows people to feel comfortable being themselves, something that’s essential for our mental wellbeing.
Supportive work relationships create an atmosphere where people can discuss not just their work issues but any personal challenges affecting their personal lives as well. Jo said, “People need to feel they’re in a place where it’s okay to talk about what’s really going on.”
Suzi shared how unkind comments at work can create intense anxiety and doubt and described a situation where she was left out of a work messaging group, which affected her emotionally. “I didn’t know if being left out was intentional or just an oversight, but it made me feel isolated. It wasn’t the actual work that bothered me, but more these little things that make you feel like you don’t belong.”
Debbie also experienced upsetting personal interactions at work, noting that it’s often not the tasks themselves that are stressful but rather “the relationships and the pressure to manage everything perfectly.”
To create a workplace that improves rather than decreases mental wellbeing, a sense of community and understanding is needed, one that builds trust, empathy, and kindness. Worries about what colleagues think of us can be more stressful than our actual job duties. But by working together, employers and employees can cultivate an atmosphere where open, honest conversations are encouraged, and workers can express their emotional and mental health needs without fear of judgment.
It’s Okay not to be Okay
Talking can be the first step toward getting the support you need if you’re feeling isolated, anxious, or overwhelmed. Suzi pointed out, “I’ve learned not to bottle things up. It only makes it worse.”
However, it’s common for people experiencing mental health challenges to conceal how they’re feeling due to fear or a sense of stigma. Many employees don’t feel comfortable being open about their struggles; they worry it might affect their job security or how they’re perceived.
“People tend to hide what they’re going through because they feel like they’ll be judged or treated differently,” Jo explained.
Debbie agreed and spoke of the pressure to hide mental illness at work. She felt a need to appear fully capable, even when dealing with her illness, and concealed her mental health challenges out of fear that being open would make her seem less proficient. “It’s not just the workload; it’s the pressure to keep it all together and not show you’re struggling.”
Mental Health Resources to Share in the Workplace
When we face mental health challenges, we often don’t know where to turn. Suzi said, “I was in the middle of a breakdown at work and didn’t know what to do. I felt so alone. Then I came across the Mindline number to call, and that really helped—it was a lifeline in that moment.”
Employers can demonstrate a commitment to their workers’ mental wellbeing by providing information about OMH’s free services. From peer support, community rehabilitation, and groups to improve men’s mental health to targeted support for young adults, older people, and caregivers, out-of-hours crisis support, and the many other interventions you can read about on our website, OMH is ready to help.
Digital OMH posters and flyers can be distributed to staff, printed out, and put in break rooms or on notice boards.
Remember, if you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, support is available from Open Mental Health. If you need to speak to someone, please get in touch with our team at Mindline Somerset at any time of the day or night, seven days a week, locally on 01823 276892 or freephone 0800 138 1692. Alternatively, Mindline Live Web Chat is available every day on our website from 8 pm to 11 pm, or you can send us a message.
Workplace Toolkit
Our EbELs Practical Tips for Employers:
Make Your Workplace a Safe Space:
Create a working environment where people can be themselves and trust managers enough to discuss their mental health. Veto office politics and unkind banter; encourage community and belonging. Schedule regular one-to-one meetings and give your team members the opportunity to express how they’re feeling and to say if they need any support.
Provide Mental Health Resources:
Share information about Open Mental Health and ensure every team member knows the Mindline Somerset numbers. Download and distribute OMH flyers to ensure everyone knows where to go for support.
Offer Mental Health Training:
Take advantage of free training options to empower your managers with mental health awareness and the skills to help keep your team healthy and on target.
Promote Work-Life Balance:
Encourage your employees to take breaks and switch off outside work hours. Where possible, offer flexible working options to help your team manage their personal and professional lives.
Our EbELs Practical Tips for Employees:
Set Boundaries:
Keep work within work hours. If you find yourself thinking about work at home, switch focus. Take regular breaks; even short ones refresh our minds and reduce stress.
Ask for Support:
Whether it’s talking to a manager or a colleague or accessing professional help, seek support when you’re struggling. You don’t have to handle everything on your own, and OMH is here to help.
Practice Self-Care:
Identify small things you can do at work to help you relax, like taking a short walk, breathing exercises, or even a cup of tea in a quiet space.
Be Mindful of Your Mental Health:
OMH has advice and guidance to help you better understand and recognise the signs and symptoms that you, a colleague, friend or family member might be getting unwell. Call Mindline Somerset on 01823 276892 or freephone 0800 138 1692 for the support you deserve.
Free Emotional Wellbeing e-learning
This e-learning has been developed by Public Health in partnership with colleagues across Somerset Council, it is formed of a series of videos to watch and short activities to complete. The purpose of the training is to help people to understand and manage their own emotional wellbeing but also to give them the confidence and skills to help others and create a more supportive workplace.
Access this valuable e-learning here
- Visit https://bit.ly/emotional-e-learn
- Choose “Manual Login”
- Then please choose the option “Login as a guest.”
- Please also complete the short feedback form upon completion.
- Public Health has also created these conversation card leaflets to help people to start a conversation about suicide. Available here: Working together to prevent Suicide (healthysomerset.co.uk)
Download a free OMH poster
Download & print an A4 poster for your workplace.
