Solutions to Improve Mental Health at Work
Since the onset of the pandemic, mental health in the workplace has become a critical topic of discussion. The modern workplace’s challenges, rampant layoffs, blurred work-life boundaries, and high expectations have only intensified the need for mental health at work solutions.
In response, many organisations are adopting new approaches to mental health, making their environments more inclusive for employees with mental health challenges and finding ways to integrate mental health at work solutions more effectively into the workforce.
However, the harsh reality is that far too many companies still treat mental health as an afterthought. While they might offer wellness initiatives on paper, the true organisational culture may tell a very different story.
In this blog, we explore additional mental health at work solutions companies can take to implement initiatives that improve mental health in the workplace from a cultural and leadership perspective.
While the focus is on mental health challenges exacerbated by workplace culture, we want to caution you that this blog does not go in-depth into initiatives specifically designed to support individuals with mental illness. For more resources on this topic, please visit Mental Health Foundation.
Jump to each section:
- The solution that’s known but often overlooked
- Solution 1 – Walking the talk: Leadership that prioritises Mental Health
- Solution 2 – Coaching as a pathway to compassionate leadership
- Solution 3 – Compassionate leadership isn’t just for leaders but for everyone
- Solution 4 – Job redesign
- Solution 5 – Addressing Mental Health beyond programmes: Finding purpose
The solution that’s known but often overlooked
Wellbeing programmes are good. We bond well with our colleagues, we feel refreshed after and the day ends on a positive note. However, the problems that we face at work might need a little more than mindfulness talks or lunch time talks on burnout. They don’t address cultural or systemic issues within organisations that may be exacerbating mental health challenges. So if some wellbeing programmes don’t address the deeper issues, what should organisations do? At Bailey Balfour, we believe it starts with the leaders. Leaders set the tone for a positive culture to emerge. Leaders are the catalyst for effective workplace policies and good practices.
Mental health at work solutions begin with leaders who understand the importance of mental wellbeing. This importance cascades down to employees and shapes the organisation’s culture. This ripple effect is what we aim to achieve, and it is possible when done consistently and well. Here are a few mental health at work solutions you can explore.
Solution 1 – Walking the talk: Leadership that prioritises Mental Health
Creating meaningful change starts with leaders who are willing to “walk the talk.” Leaders can set an example by openly prioritising mental health in their own work habits and interactions.
A 2021 Gallup study showed that 70% of employee engagement is directly tied to the actions of their manager. This statistic suggests the critical role leaders play in shaping workplace culture.
A leader who actively supports mental wellbeing not only boosts morale but also fosters trust, loyalty, and a sense of psychological safety within their team.
It’s a powerful message you’re sending if you demonstrate empathy, a growth mindset, self-care, and a healthy work-life balance.
The message will resonate and show that mental health matters and is a priority among your team.
If you’re a senior leader facing an issue of cascading the message down to middle managers, we share more tips on how you can lead your leaders into meaningful action.
Solution 2 – Coaching as a pathway to compassionate leadership
At Bailey Balfour, we believe that compassionate leadership is not just a desirable trait but a necessity for creating a thriving, resilient workplace.
Compassionate leadership isn’t something that everyone has. But it can be cultivated. Research has shown that coaching is a gateway to compassion. It is a well-established and proven concept that enables compassion to shine through – a powerful tool that leaders can learn how to use.
Compassionate leadership, when nurtured through coaching, enables leaders to bridge the gap between profit and people. Leaders can still pursue business objectives but do so with an understanding that employee wellbeing is not a distraction from success but a critical driver of it.
We have seen with many of our students that we train, implement coaching in their organisations. They’ve witnessed the transformative impact coaching can have on their leadership. You can read more about it here.
Coaching helps leaders develop empathy, resilience, a growth mindset, emotional intelligence, sound decision-making, and effective problem-solving skills. Coaching gives them the ability to understand the pressures their teams face and how best to support them.
Through coaching, leaders learn to actively listen, respond thoughtfully without judgement, and create environments where employees are heard, respected, valued, and growing.
Don’t these characteristics reflect someone with true compassion? These are all skills we can learn through coaching, and coaching itself isn’t difficult; it simply requires the right techniques.
A compassionate leader goes a long way in inspiring their team, positively impacting morale, sparking brighter ideas, and fostering renewed energy.
The benefits are endless. Discussions around mental health will be much more effectively facilitated by leaders who embody compassion. Are you a compassionate leader?
Solution 3 – Empowering workplace champions from the bottom up
Compassionate leadership isn’t just for leaders but for everyone. Culture change from the bottom up is driven by the engagement and empowerment of employees at all levels.
When workers feel a sense of ownership over change, they become active participants in shaping the organisation’s culture, making it more authentic and sustainable.
Empowering employees to become coaching and mental health champions is a key strategy for fostering a supportive and resilient workplace culture.
Equipping bottom-level workers with coaching skills such as active listening and empathy enables them to contribute to a culture of continuous learning and mutual support.
As coaching champions, they help create an environment where personal growth, emotional intelligence, and meaningful communication thrive, strengthening team dynamics and overall well-being.
When employees are trained as mental health champions, they advocate for their peers, promoting mental wellbeing and reducing stigma within the workforce.
This bottom-up approach ensures that mental health initiatives are accessible, relatable, and aligned with employees’ needs.
By embedding coaching and mental health support at all levels, organisations can create a ripple effect that enhances team cohesion, promotes learning, and cultivates a mentally healthy and productive work environment. Employees on the ground can also provide valuable real-time feedback, helping leadership adapt to challenges and ensuring the change process remains relevant.
By leveraging peer networks and social influence, bottom-up change spreads naturally across teams, creating lasting shifts in behaviour and values.
Kattie Hasson shares more about how she created a coaching culutre within Standard Chartered bank. It is a good example of how we can create change within our own organisaiton.
Solution 4 – Job redesign
As a leader, when was the last time you looked at the processes and management within your department?
Strategic decisions often take a lot of our time, and coming into the operational level can sometimes be time-consuming.
However, it’s essential to understand what your employees are experiencing, especially if you notice signs of burnout. Many mental health issues in the workplace stem from poorly designed roles that are overly demanding, lack clarity, or fail to align with employee capabilities.
When job responsibilities are unclear or unmanageable, employees often feel overwhelmed, leading to stress, frustration, and eventually burnout.
This highlights the importance of job design, where roles should be structured to provide employees with clarity and balance, ensuring they can meet expectations without undue pressure.
Job redesign focuses on rethinking and restructuring roles to better match organisational expectations with employee abilities to do the job well.
Key aspects of effective job design include adjusting responsibilities to prevent overload, balancing workloads to avoid excessive pressure, and clarifying goals to provide a clear sense of purpose and direction.
Additionally, giving employees more autonomy, the right tools and support, and fostering a flexible environment where they can make decisions about their work improves job satisfaction and reduces stress.
Ultimately, job redesign is critical because addressing the structural issues within a role is more impactful than offering short-term fixes.
A well-designed role, supported by clear communication and regular feedback, can be transformative in creating a healthier, more productive work environment.
Solution 5 – Addressing Mental Health beyond programmes: Finding purpose
While Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), helplines, and wellbeing initiatives are essential, we can also offer opportunities for employees to find their purpose and meaning in life.
This strengthens the pillar of navigating the outside world, helping individuals find their place within both humanity and the organisation.
On top of these programmes, businesses should continue to offer talks on having a growth mindset, resilience workshops, finding your strengths and values, and coaching opportunities to develop themselves and help employees find purpose in their work.
To sum up
Addressing mental health at work requires more than just temporary measures like wellbeing programmes. Organisations need compassionate leaders who understand the root causes of burnout and stress and who prioritise mental wellbeing through meaningful actions. These leaders create environments where employees feel safe, valued, and supported.
By embedding coaching, offering resilience and self-care programmes, fostering purpose, and addressing structural issues like job redesign, businesses can move towards long-term solutions. Compassionate leadership not only improves employee wellbeing but also drives engagement, retention, and overall organisational success.
Ultimately, organisations must decide: will they continue to prioritise short-term profits at the expense of their people, or will they invest in compassionate leadership and create a foundation for long-term success?
More resources:
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About the Author
Jean Balfour is Managing Director of Bailey Balfour and Programme Director of our ICF Accredited Coach Training Programmes. Jean is passionate about helping people to have good conversations both at work and at home. She believes that coaching is a life skill and that you never regret learning to coach.