Mental health awareness week: Making it every day
Every year in the UK, Mental Health Awareness Week prompts conversations that are crucial – but often fleeting. This year, the week ran from 12th to 18th May, with organisations once again filling their feeds with content in support of mental health. It’s encouraging to see, and it goes a long way toward normalising conversations that, for many, still carry stigma.
But the question remains: why does the conversation fade so quickly once the week ends?
Wouldn’t it be more meaningful if organisations treated every day like it was Mental Health Awareness Week – embedding care and wellbeing into their culture, not just their calendar?
Actions, not just words
So, what can businesses do to keep mental health firmly on the agenda all year round?
- Communication is key
Let’s start with the most powerful tool: communication. Poor communication – or a complete lack of it – can lead to confusion, disconnection, and increased anxiety.
The solution? Talk more. Share more. Check in more. There’s rarely such a thing as over-communicating when it comes to supporting your people. It’s about creating a rhythm that keeps everyone in the loop and reassured.
Line managers, in particular, should prioritise regular one-to-ones. A simple “How are you doing?” can open the door to conversations that make employees feel heard, valued, and supported.
For remote workers, this is especially critical. Without the incidental chats of office life, it’s easy to feel isolated – so consistent check-ins and opportunities to connect are vital.
And for those who aren’t ready to open up in conversation, give them anonymous outlets like employee surveys. Honest feedback is your best insight.
- Flexible working is respectful working
A flexible working culture goes hand-in-hand with positive mental health. If employees feel they’re being judged for attending a medical appointment or leaving early to support their children, it sends the wrong message.
The reality is, we’ve seen how effective remote and hybrid working can be. Trusting your people to work in the way that suits them best is not just possible—it’s essential. Empowered employees are engaged employees. Flexibility builds trust, and trust builds culture.
- Behaviour repeated is culture created
Wellbeing at work isn’t a one-off campaign – it’s the product of consistent, repeated behaviour. The kind of culture where mental health is prioritised doesn’t happen by accident; it’s modelled from the top and reinforced every day.
Managers who switch off on time, talk openly, and lead with empathy give their teams permission to do the same. Small actions, when repeated, create big change.
Everyday wellbeing
Let Mental Health Awareness Week be a starting point – not the full stop. By communicating openly, embracing flexibility, and leading with consistency, we can all build workplaces where wellbeing isn’t a seasonal campaign, but part of the everyday culture.
Because happy people do great work.
