Mental health in the workplace has become one of the most important issues facing UK employers. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), stress, depression, and anxiety account for around half of all work-related ill health cases in Great Britain. In 2022/23 alone, an estimated 875,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety, resulting in approximately 17.1 million working days lost.
These are not abstract statistics. Behind every number is a real person struggling with their mental health — and a real cost to their employer in terms of lost productivity, sickness absence, staff turnover, and reduced morale.
The good news is that employers can make a significant difference. With the right knowledge, policies, and training, organisations can create workplaces that support mental health, reduce stigma, and help employees thrive.
This guide sets out the legal framework, practical strategies, and training options available to UK employers who want to take mental health in the workplace seriously.
The Legal Framework
Employers in the UK have clear legal duties when it comes to mental health at work. Several pieces of legislation are relevant.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of health and safety legislation in the UK. Under Section 2, employers have a general duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of their employees at work. This duty extends to mental health — not just physical safety.
This means that employers must identify and manage workplace risks that could harm employees’ mental health, just as they would manage physical hazards like machinery or chemicals.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
These regulations require employers to carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments to identify hazards in the workplace — including psychosocial hazards that can cause or worsen mental health problems. Where risks are identified, employers must take steps to eliminate or reduce them.
Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 protects employees from discrimination on the basis of certain protected characteristics, including disability. Under the Act, a mental health condition can qualify as a disability if it has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. “Long-term” means lasting or expected to last 12 months or more.
Where an employee has a qualifying mental health condition, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to remove or reduce disadvantages. Examples include adjusting working hours, providing a quieter workspace, allowing additional breaks, or modifying deadlines during difficult periods.
It is unlawful to treat an employee less favourably because of a mental health condition that qualifies as a disability. This includes decisions about hiring, promotion, redundancy, and disciplinary action.
HSE Management Standards for Work-Related Stress
The HSE has developed six Management Standards that represent the primary sources of stress at work. These are not legal requirements in themselves, but they provide a framework that the HSE uses to assess whether an employer is managing work-related stress effectively. The six standards are:
- Demands — workload, work patterns, and the work environment
- Control — how much say employees have in the way they do their work
- Support — the encouragement, sponsorship, and resources provided by the organisation, line managers, and colleagues
- Relationships — promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour
- Role — whether people understand their role and whether the organisation ensures they do not have conflicting roles
- Change — how organisational change is managed and communicated
Employers should use these standards as a starting point for assessing and addressing the psychosocial risks in their workplace.
Recognising Mental Health Issues in the Workplace
One of the biggest barriers to supporting employees with mental health problems is recognising the signs. Mental health conditions are not always visible, and many people are reluctant to disclose difficulties for fear of stigma or negative consequences.
However, there are common signs that a colleague or team member may be struggling:
- Changes in behaviour — increased irritability, withdrawal from social interaction, uncharacteristic mood swings, or loss of confidence
- Changes in performance — difficulty concentrating, increased errors, missed deadlines, or declining quality of work
- Changes in attendance — increased sickness absence, frequent lateness, or presenteeism (being physically present but not functioning effectively)
- Physical symptoms — fatigue, changes in appetite, frequent headaches or other unexplained physical complaints
- Social withdrawal — avoiding team activities, eating alone, reduced communication with colleagues
It is important to note that these signs do not necessarily indicate a mental health problem — they could have many causes. But if you notice sustained changes, it is worth checking in with the person in a supportive, non-judgemental way.
Managers play a critical role in this. Training managers to recognise the signs and feel confident having conversations about mental health is one of the most impactful steps an organisation can take. Our Mental Health Awareness for Managers course is specifically designed to give managers the knowledge and confidence to support their teams.
Conducting a Stress Risk Assessment
A stress risk assessment is a structured process for identifying the sources of work-related stress in your organisation and determining what action to take. The HSE recommends a five-step approach:
Step 1: Identify the Hazards
Use the HSE Management Standards as a framework to identify the potential sources of stress. Common stressors include excessive workload, lack of control, poor management support, workplace conflict, role ambiguity, and poorly managed change. Our Managing Stress course provides practical strategies for both identifying and addressing these stressors.
Gather information through staff surveys, focus groups, one-to-one conversations, and analysis of sickness absence data. The HSE’s Management Standards Indicator Tool is a free questionnaire that can help you assess how your organisation performs against the six standards.
Step 2: Decide Who Might Be Harmed and How
Consider which groups of employees are most at risk. This might include staff in high-pressure roles, those going through organisational change, new starters, lone workers, or employees with existing mental health conditions.
Step 3: Evaluate the Risks and Decide on Action
Assess the level of risk and decide what steps to take. This might involve changes to workload distribution, improved communication, management training, access to employee assistance programmes, or changes to working patterns.
Step 4: Record Your Findings
Document the hazards you have identified, the people who may be affected, and the actions you are taking. This record demonstrates that you have fulfilled your legal duty to assess risks and take appropriate action.
Step 5: Review and Update
Stress risk assessments should be reviewed regularly — and whenever there are significant changes to the organisation, such as restructuring, new technology, or changes in workload.
Mental Health First Aiders
Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) are trained individuals within an organisation who can recognise the signs of mental health issues, provide initial support, and guide people towards appropriate professional help. They are not counsellors or therapists — their role is comparable to a physical first aider who provides initial assistance before professional medical help arrives.
Having designated Mental Health First Aiders in your workplace can:
- Provide a visible point of contact for employees who are struggling
- Help reduce the stigma around mental health
- Identify problems early before they escalate
- Bridge the gap between informal support and professional services
- Demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to employee wellbeing
While there is no legal requirement to have Mental Health First Aiders, an increasing number of organisations are appointing them as part of their wider wellbeing strategy. The Mental Health Awareness for Employees course provides a solid foundation of knowledge that supports this role.
Supporting Employees with Mental Health Conditions
When an employee discloses a mental health problem, or when you have concerns about someone’s wellbeing, the way you respond matters enormously. Here are practical steps for employers and managers.
Have an Open Conversation
Find a private, comfortable space and let the person know you have noticed changes and are concerned about their wellbeing. Listen without judgement. Avoid trying to diagnose or solve the problem — your role is to understand how the person is feeling and what support they might need.
Use open-ended questions such as “How are you doing?” or “Is there anything at work that is making things more difficult?” rather than making assumptions.
Explore Reasonable Adjustments
Under the Equality Act 2010, if an employee’s mental health condition qualifies as a disability, employers are legally required to make reasonable adjustments. But even where the legal duty does not apply, offering adjustments is good practice and can make a significant difference.
Examples of reasonable adjustments include:
- Flexible working hours — allowing later starts, adjusted shifts, or compressed hours
- Modified duties — temporarily reducing workload or reassigning particularly stressful tasks
- Phased return to work — after a period of absence, allowing a gradual increase in hours or responsibilities
- Quiet workspace — providing access to a quieter area for employees who find open-plan offices challenging
- Regular check-ins — scheduling brief, informal catch-ups to monitor wellbeing and adjust support as needed
- Time off for appointments — allowing employees to attend therapy, counselling, or medical appointments during working hours
Signpost to Professional Support
Managers are not expected to be mental health professionals. Your role is to listen, support, and signpost. Useful resources to direct employees towards include:
- Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) — many organisations provide free, confidential counselling services through an EAP provider
- Occupational health services — for assessments and recommendations on adjustments and return-to-work plans
- NHS mental health services — GPs can refer employees to counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, or other treatments
- Samaritans — available 24/7 on 116 123 for anyone in emotional distress
- Mind — provides information, advice, and support for mental health issues (mind.org.uk)
Maintain Confidentiality
Information about an employee’s mental health should be treated with strict confidentiality. Only share information with others on a need-to-know basis and always with the employee’s consent where possible. Breaching confidentiality can destroy trust and discourage other employees from seeking help.
Creating a Mentally Healthy Workplace
Supporting individual employees is essential, but the most effective approach to workplace mental health is prevention. Creating an environment that promotes good mental health and reduces psychosocial risks benefits everyone.
Build a Culture of Openness
Encourage open conversations about mental health. Senior leaders speaking publicly about wellbeing, sharing their own experiences, and demonstrating that it is safe to ask for help can have a powerful cultural impact.
Train Your Managers
Managers are on the front line of employee wellbeing. They are often the first to notice changes and the first point of contact for employees who are struggling. Investing in management training — specifically around mental health awareness and supportive conversation skills — is one of the highest-impact actions an organisation can take.
Review Workloads and Working Patterns
Excessive workload is consistently identified as one of the top causes of work-related stress. Regularly review whether workloads are realistic and sustainable. Consider whether working patterns (shift patterns, long hours, lack of breaks) are contributing to poor mental health.
Promote Work-Life Balance
Encourage employees to take their full holiday entitlement, take proper breaks during the working day, and disconnect from work outside of working hours. Lead by example — if managers routinely send emails late at night or work through weekends, it sends a message that employees are expected to do the same.
Monitor and Act on Data
Use sickness absence data, staff survey results, exit interview feedback, and grievance records to identify trends and problem areas. If a particular team or department consistently shows higher absence rates or lower satisfaction scores, investigate the underlying causes.
Mental Health in Hospitality
The hospitality industry faces particular challenges when it comes to mental health. Long and unsociable hours, high-pressure environments, seasonal fluctuations, low pay, and a culture that has historically normalised overwork all contribute to higher rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among hospitality workers.
Research by the Burnt Chef Project found that 84% of hospitality professionals have experienced mental health issues related to their work. This makes mental health awareness training especially important for hospitality employers and managers.
Practical steps for hospitality businesses include:
- Training all managers in mental health awareness
- Reviewing rota practices to ensure staff get adequate rest between shifts
- Creating a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and harassment
- Providing access to confidential support services
- Normalising conversations about mental health during team meetings and one-to-ones
How to Get Trained
Chefs Bay Academy offers two focused courses on mental health awareness:
- Mental Health Awareness for Employees — designed for all staff, this course covers the fundamentals of mental health, common conditions, how to support colleagues, and how to look after your own wellbeing
- Mental Health Awareness for Managers — specifically designed for managers and supervisors, this course covers recognising signs, having supportive conversations, making reasonable adjustments, and fulfilling your legal duties
Both courses are included in every Chefs Bay Academy licence. For £29, each learner gets access to these courses and 130+ others covering workplace compliance, health and safety, data protection, and more.
Here is how it works:
- Buy a licence for £29 — one licence per learner
- Start learning — courses are entirely self-paced and work on any device
- Complete the assessment — confirm your knowledge with an end-of-course assessment
- Download your certificate — a CPD accredited certificate is available immediately
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mental health training a legal requirement for employers?
There is no specific legal requirement to provide mental health awareness training. However, employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to assess and manage risks to employees’ health — including mental health. The HSE considers training to be an important part of managing work-related stress, and demonstrating that managers and staff have been trained can support your compliance position.
What is the difference between mental health awareness training and Mental Health First Aid?
Mental health awareness training provides a general understanding of mental health, common conditions, and how to support yourself and others. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a more in-depth training programme that teaches specific skills for providing initial support to someone experiencing a mental health crisis. Our awareness courses provide an excellent foundation and are suitable for all employees.
Can I dismiss an employee for mental health-related absence?
This is a complex area. If an employee’s mental health condition qualifies as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, dismissing them for absence related to that condition could constitute disability discrimination. Employers must consider reasonable adjustments and follow a fair process. Always take legal advice before making decisions about dismissal in these circumstances.
How can I encourage employees to talk about mental health?
Start with leadership. When senior leaders and managers openly discuss mental health, it sends a clear signal that the organisation takes it seriously. Provide training so that managers feel confident having conversations. Appoint Mental Health First Aiders as visible points of contact. Run awareness campaigns. And most importantly, act on what people tell you — if employees raise concerns and nothing changes, trust will erode quickly.
Related Guides
If you found this guide helpful, you might also want to read:
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training — mental health intersects with disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act
- Safeguarding Training: Who Needs It and What It Covers — recognising vulnerability is a shared skill between mental health awareness and safeguarding
- Leadership and Management Training in Hospitality — strong leadership is the foundation of a mentally healthy workplace
All these courses are included in your Chefs Bay Academy licence — £29 for instant access to 130+ courses.