Poor mental health is one of the leading causes of time away from work in the UK, costing businesses something between £33 billion and £42 billion annually in sick pay and lost productivity.

As the people closest to the day-to-day reality of their teams, line managers are often best placed to combat the issue, present to spot the early signs of struggle, offer support, and generally establish a healthy working environment. Yet recent IOSH research has shown organisations aren’t doing enough to help line workers help others.

In this article, we explore the link between line managers and employee mental health, asking what can be done to support these key staff and protect front-line workers.

The impact of line management on employee mental health

Surveys overwhelmingly show that managers have a significant impact on the stress levels and wellbeing of workers. As recently as 2024, an IOSH poll revealed that nearly half the UK workforce believes poor line management is the “chief cause of workplace stress”.

To put that into perspective, only 29% cited workload as the biggest stressor, highlighting just how closely line management is tied to employee mental health.

Flipping the survey on its head, the implication is that, with effective line management, the workplace can be a lot calmer, controlled and happy, which is proven to boost productivity and staff retention rates.

The core problem: A lack of support and training for line managers

Even the best-intentioned line managers are not equipped to support the mental health of their team. Typically appointed due to high performance in roles lower down in the rungs, nothing in their working history prepares them for such a significant and complex responsibility.

Yet, IOSH data shows that there is a clear lack of investment from organisations to improve matters. According to the Workplace Wellbeing report, 62% of line managers do not get enough help from their organisation to support their staff’s mental wellbeing.

A lack of training in this area is cited as a major issue, with a worrying 57% of organisations offering nothing in the way of mental health and wellbeing training or support for managerial staff.

Read our guidance on supporting mental health in the workplace.

Organisations are reactive rather than proactive when it comes to work mental wellbeing

Failing to support line managers or employee mental health is a problem, but even organisations that try to make a difference can run into issues with their approach.

IOSH research highlights that most businesses are taking a reactive, rather than preventative, approach to wellbeing, with 55% of line managers reporting a lack of proactive interventions.

Read our guide to building mental health awareness in business.

This focus on reacting to a crisis is seen in the types of support most commonly offered: reactive services like counselling and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) feature highly. Conversely, fewer managers mentioned proactive, preventative measures such as stress risk assessments and mental resilience techniques.

As IOSH advocates, a ‘prevention-first programme’ that creates a healthy working environment is essential. While counselling is invaluable, it is far more beneficial both for the person and the bottom line to intervene early and address the root causes of workplace stress before they escalate into long-term mental ill-health.

That taboo factor: Why employees stay silent about their mental health

The lack of mental health awareness training for line managers is letting the national workforce down, feeding into instead of combating the stigma surrounding mental health.

Workers simply do not feel that the workplace is a psychologically safe environment; managers can’t confidently approach the topic and employees don’t feel safe to respond.

The stigma surrounding mental health is still a powerful silencer in the workplace:

• A staggering 80% of respondents in the IOSH survey reported they would be reluctant to discuss their mental health with their line manager.
  
• The primary reason for this reluctance is the fear of being seen as incapable in their role.

Furthermore, managers themselves are reluctant to initiate the conversation, with 33% saying they ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ discuss mental health and wellbeing with their direct reports.

Train your line managers – support your workforce – protect productivity

With the cost of poor mental health at work rising, business leaders who fail to address the issue risk negatively impacting both their employees and their bottom line.

The resolution starts with training.

Introducing mandatory training for line managers lays the groundwork for a proactive organisational culture, which in turn can help to break the taboo of mental health in the workplace, thereby fostering honest, supportive interactions between line managers and workers.

Furthermore, investing in manager support and prevention enhances the image of the business as a caring employer, aids worker retention, and improves productivity through reduced absenteeism.

At Cardinus, we provide essential eLearning courses designed to address these core issues:

• Mental Health Awareness (Great for Line Managers): Equipping your managers with the knowledge, confidence, and language needed to spot the signs of poor mental health and conduct sensitive conversations. Learn more
  
• Personal Wellbeing (Great for All Employees): Empowering every member of your staff to understand their own wellbeing and proactively manage stress and resilience. Learn more.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you build a truly resilient workforce.