Mental Health Awareness Week, Turning Awareness into Action: How HR and Managers Can Make It Happen
- Trish Attah
- May 11
- 3 min read
Turning Awareness into Action: How HR and Managers Can Make It Happen
Mental Health Foundation’s Mental Health Awareness Week theme of Action is a timely reminder of something many workplaces struggle with:
We talk about mental health. We share resources. We raise awareness.
But do people actually do anything differently?
Working in HR, management or any position really can often feel lonely and with a lot of people working from home, its extremely common for mental health concerns to sneak up and be hard to shake. They could feel unfamiliar so something that you brush off but mental health concerns can have a massive impact on everything we do
That’s where HR professionals and managers play a critical role, not just in promoting awareness, but in creating the conditions where action is normal.
Why “Action” Often Falls Short
Most organisations aren’t lacking good intentions. The gap tends to come from:
Unclear expectations – People don’t know what “taking action” actually looks like
Time pressure – Wellbeing gets pushed behind operational priorities
Manager confidence – Leaders worry about saying the wrong thing
Inconsistent follow-through – Initiatives start strong, then fade
Without structure and reinforcement, even the best campaigns become background noise. Equally where managers are unsure of the signs of mental health concerns it can be tough for them to take meaningful action or to even know when it's needed.
1. Make Action Specific (and Simple)
If you want people to act, you need to be clear about what action means in practice.
Instead of broad messages like “look after your wellbeing”, give people tangible behaviours:
Check in with one team member each week
Take a proper lunch break away from your desk
Flag workload concerns early
Use available support (EAP, wellbeing resources, etc.)
HR’s role: Translate wellbeing into clear, everyday behaviours Manager’s role: Model those behaviours consistently.
2. Build It Into Day-to-Day Work
Mental health shouldn’t sit separately from “real work” — it needs to be part of it.
That might mean:
Adding wellbeing check-ins to regular 1:1s
Discussing workload and capacity as standard
Including wellbeing in team meetings (not just once a year)
When it’s embedded, it stops feeling like an “extra” and starts becoming part of how work gets done.
3. Equip Managers (Properly)
Managers are often expected to “support wellbeing” without being given the tools or confidence to do it.
Simple conversation frameworks
Guidance on boundaries (support vs. solve)
Clear escalation routes
Confidence drives action. Without it, managers avoid the conversation altogether. You could also having manager become mental health first aiders via organisations like MHFA England https://mhfaengland.org/online-mental-health-courses/mental-health-course-enquiry/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=12579023978&gbraid=0AAAAABo-VsVbWYcSm41dBzhr4FyuDAzwW&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI38_vuo_kkwMVhphQBh0aTh5XEAAYASAAEgLs3PD_BwE
4. Lead by Example
This is the one that makes or breaks everything else.
If leaders:
Don’t take breaks
Send emails late at night
Talk about wellbeing but prioritise output at all costs
…then no one else will take action either.
People follow what they see, not what they’re told.
Our Resources
Check out our video on workplace stress.
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Disclaimer
All information within the post is provided for guidance only; always seek your own legal advice.
The information with this post was correct at the time of publishing, May 2026 but may be subject to change.
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