Recently, AWARE NI hosted Mental Health at Work: Building Healthier Workplaces in Northern Ireland at Stormont, as part of their Mental Health APG role. This event brought together employers, policymakers and mental health advocates to discuss the growing importance of workplace wellbeing.

The event explored how organisations can better support staff mental health through early intervention, supportive workplace cultures and practical wellbeing strategies.

With conversations around stress, burnout and workplace pressure continuing to grow, the discussion reinforced an important message: supporting mental health at work benefits both people and organisations.

(Left to right: Nigel Fyffe - AWARE NI, Shelly Wilson - Action Mental Health, Mr Mike Nesbitt - Northern Ireland's Health Minister, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, Northern Ireland's Minister of Economy, Mr Padraig Delargy - Chairperson of the Mental Health APG, Celine McStravick - NICVA, Maeve Brennan - FinTrU, Catherine Shannon - Northern Ireland's Civil Service HR)

 

Why workplace mental health matters

Our place of work has the ability to both positively and negatively impact our mental health. Work-related stress, anxiety and depression continue to affect thousands of employees across Northern Ireland every year. Poor mental health at work can contribute to reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, increased presenteeism and staff turnover.

Some key stats related to workplace mental health:

• 1 in 6 workers experience mental health issues at any one time
• Nearly 50% of workdays lost to ill health are linked to mental health
• Mental health costs the Northern Ireland economy £3.4 billion each year

These statistics do not paint a pleasant picture. But there is hope. Research has shown that for every £1 invested in workplace mental health there is a £5 return on that investment. 

Creating mentally healthier workplaces is not about a single awareness day or wellbeing initiative - it requires ongoing cultural change, supportive leadership and access to meaningful support. Let's look at how you can start making changes in your workplace.

 

Supporting mentally healthier workplaces

Building a mentally healthier workplace starts with creating a culture where people feel supported, listened to and able to access help early. Small changes can make a significant difference to staff wellbeing.

Employers can support workplace mental health by:

• Encouraging open conversations around mental health
• Equipping managers with confidence and wellbeing awareness skills
• Reviewing workload pressures and workplace stressors
• Promoting healthy work-life balance
• Ensuring staff know where to access support
• Embedding wellbeing into workplace culture rather than treating it as a one-off initiative

At AWARE NI, we work with organisations across Northern Ireland to support workplace wellbeing through evidence-informed programmes, training and practical mental health resources. 

AWARE NI's mental health workplace wellbeing programmes are designed to help organisations:

• Improve mental health awareness
• Reduce stigma around mental health
• Support early intervention
• Strengthen resilience and wellbeing
• Create healthier workplace cultures

Find out more about our programmes by emailing nigel@aware-ni.org or visit our workplace wellbeing hub.

 

Mental health at work resources

Creating healthier workplaces starts with understanding the factors that can impact staff wellbeing and knowing where to access support and guidance.

AWARE NI offers a range of workplace wellbeing resources designed to support both employers and employees.

• Mental health workplace wellbeing programmes including general mental health awareness programmes, Mental Health First Aid, and options for managers and leaders.
• Stress at work factsheet for information on how to recognise signs of stress and how to manage stress at work.
• Free to attend mental health peer support groups for individuals struggling with mental ill-health, options online and across Northern Ireland with no waiting lists. Just free mental health support for those who need it now.

Additional resources from the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland who kindly attended the event and provided the below links:

• Mental well-being at work
• HSENI’s Mental Well-being at Work Advisory Service
• Managing work-related stress and mental well-being resources
• Managing Work Related Stress - YouTube
• Workplace Health Campaign - Stress at Work poster
• Workplace Health