Is Your Management Team Ready for a Mental Health Conversation?
27 May 2026
Published in: Member News
Mental Health Awareness Week may have come to a close, but the conversation it sparks shouldn't end here. For all businesses, it's the perfect moment to ask an honest question: are your managers truly equipped to support the mental health of their teams?
Mental Health Awareness Week may have come to a close, but the conversation it sparks shouldn't end here. For all businesses, it's the perfect moment to ask an honest question: are your managers truly equipped to support the mental health of their teams?
The reality facing businesses today
Mental health is now the leading cause of workplace absence in the UK, and the numbers are hard to ignore. Stress, anxiety and depression account for millions of lost working days every year, costing UK employers billions in lost productivity, recruitment costs and reduced performance. And that's before we consider the very human impact on the people behind those statistics. The good news is that much of this is preventable. Early intervention makes an enormous difference, and that begins with your managers.
Your managers are on the front line
Whether they realise it or not, your managers are often the first people to notice when a team member is struggling. A change in behaviour, a drop in performance, increased absence, withdrawal from the team. The signs are there, if you know what to look for. Yet, most managers have never been trained to respond. Many genuinely want to help, but fear saying the wrong thing, making the situation worse, or overstepping. So they say nothing at all. And that silence, however well-intentioned, can significantly impact their team member. It's also worth remembering that managers carry a lot. Alongside the operational pressures of running a team (deadlines, performance, resource challenges), they are frequently absorbing the emotional weight of their people too. Without the right tools and self-awareness, that takes a toll. Manager burnout is a very real risk that often goes unnoticed until it's too late.
Training closes the gap
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training gives managers the knowledge and confidence to bridge that gap. Developed by MHFA England, it's a practical, accessible course that equips managers to:
- Recognise the early signs of poor mental health.
- Have supportive, non-judgemental conversations.
- Signpost team members to the right help at the right time.
- Foster a workplace culture where people feel safe to speak up.
And crucially, the self-awareness this training builds isn't just outward-facing. Managers also gain a much clearer understanding of their own mental health and wellbeing needs, helping them to recognise when they themselves might need support, and knowing where to find it. We don’t teach managers to become therapists. Instead, we give them a framework and the confidence to help their team feel validated and supported when it’s needed.
But, what’s the Return On Investment?
Investing in mental health training makes strong business sense. Research by Deloitte has consistently found that for every £1 spent on workplace mental health support, employers see an average return of £5 through reduced absence, improved retention and greater productivity. Managers who feel confident handling mental health conversations are also better leaders, full stop.
Take the next step
I'm Jess, founder of Jessica Shields Coaching Ltd and an accredited trainer of MHFA England courses, based here in the Black Country. I deliver the MHFA for Managers course: a two-day training course (delivered in-person or online) specifically designed to give managers the skills, confidence and knowledge to support their teams' mental health.
Upcoming course dates are now available, with sessions running throughout the summer and into autumn. Places are limited, so I'd encourage you to book early.
View dates and book your place at jessicashieldscoaching.co.uk/courses
Let's make sure that when someone on your team is struggling, there's always someone who knows what to do.
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