How to talk to employees about their mental health

Our HR Consultant, Heather Bailey, answers nine questions on how to approach employees about mental ill-health, and how to orchestrate healthy conversations.

Useful links

• Access to work can provide advice and assessments around the workplace needs of individuals who have disabilities or long-term health conditions, and are either already in work or about to start. To cover the costs associated with implementing workplace adaptions, grants may be available.
• Business in the Community is a network that provides toolkits on mental health, suicide prevention and suicide postvention, to help employers support the mental health and wellbeing of their employees.
• Mind is a leading mental health charity in England and Wales. It provides information and support on how to improve mental health, as well as how to draw up Wellness Action Plans.
• Mindful Employer is a UK-wide, NHS initiative. It’s aimed at increasing awareness of mental health at work, and providing support for businesses when recruiting and retaining staff.
• NHS choices has a website that offers information and practical advice for anyone experiencing mental ill-health.
• Remploy offers a free and confidential workplace mental health support service for anyone who’s absent from work or finding work difficult because of a mental health condition. It aims to help people remain in, or return to, their role.
• Rethink Mental Illness is a voluntary sector provider of mental health services, and offers support groups, advice and information on mental health problems.

For advice on how to deal with HR issues that arise when managing employees who have a mental health condition, get in touch with us using the form on this page.

If you’re a client, remember, we’re available around the clock with our 24/7 advice line on either 0345 844 4848 or enquiries@citation.co.uk.