First published on Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Last updated on Wednesday, May 7, 2025
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If you’re an employer in the UK and you haven’t got a mental health and wellbeing policy in place yet, now’s the time to change that.
Not because it’s a box-ticking exercise, but because it’s one of the simplest, most powerful ways to support your team’s wellbeing—and protect your business at the same time.
A workplace mental health and wellbeing policy gives you a clear, consistent approach to mental health. It shows your team (and anyone thinking about joining it) that you take their wellbeing seriously.
And the best part? It doesn’t need to be pages of jargon or legalese. Let’s break it down.
What is a mental health policy?
At its core, a mental health policy is a document that outlines how your business supports mental health in the workplace.
It sets expectations, shows what support is available and giver your manager something solid to lean on when they need to help a struggling employee.
Do you need a mental health policy?
Technically, no, there’s no legal requirement in the UK for employers to have a dedicated mental health policy. But practically? It’s a smart move.
Whether you have a team of 2 or 200, having a workplace mental health and wellbeing policy helps you:
Handle mental health issues fairly and consistently
Show compliance with your duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act
Create a culture of openness and support
Reduce the risk of burnout, absenteeism, and resignations
If you already have general wellbeing or health & safety policy, you might be wondering if that’s enough. But mental health deserves its own spotlight. A sperate mental health policy shows your people that it’s not an afterthought—it’s a priority.
Still unsure? Here’s a good rule of thumb. If you expect your staff to perform at their best, you should be doing your best to support their mental wellbeing.
Why mental health matters?
According to NHS England, 1 in 4 adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem in any given year.
Not only that research by PwC for The Times Health Commission found that poor mental health is one of the leading causes of long-term sickness absence.
So, it stands to reason that a strong policy helps create a culture of openness, where people feel safe to speak up early.
Plus, having a clear thoughtful mental health and wellbeing policy can:
Reduce stress
Boost productivity
Improve retention
It’s good for your people and your bottom line.
What to include in your mental health and wellbeing policy
Here’s what you’ll want to cover to keep your policy practical, supportive and easy to follow:
Your commitment to mental health and wellbeing
Start with a short, value-led statement about why mental health matters to your business. This sets the tone. For example:
“We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels safe, supported, and able to talk openly about mental health.”
Aims of the policy
Explain what you hope the policy will achieve. This might include:
Promoting a mentally healthy workplace culture
Supporting early identification of mental health concerns
Reducing stigma and encouraging open conversations
Equipping managers and employees with the tools to support each other
Complying with legal responsibilities under health and safety and equality law
Roles and responsibilities
Define who’s responsible for what to avoid confusion and ensure accountability. You might want to include:
Employees: Encouraged to look after their wellbeing, speak up if they’re struggling, and support colleagues.
Line managers: Expected to check in regularly, signpost support, and handle conversations sensitively.
HR or wellbeing leads: Responsible for providing training, reviewing policy, and offering support tools.
Support available
Outline the practical support on offer, which could include:
Mental health first aiders
Access to counselling
Flexible working or phased return options
Quiet spaces of wellbeing rooms
Signposting to external support like Mind
How to raise a concern
Give clear steps for what to do if someone’s struggling—whether it’s themselves or a colleague. Make this bit really clear, as this is often the biggest barrier to people getting help. You might include:
Speak to your line manager in the first instance (or another trusted manager if preferred)
Contact HR for confidential advice and guidance
Reach out to a Mental Health First Aider for informal support and signposting
Use an EAP service for confidential counselling or 24/7 mental health advice
Anonymously raise concerns (if possible) via internal forms or suggestion boxes
It may also be a good idea to make sure contact details for key people or services are included at the end of the policy or in an appendix.
Training and awareness
Training and regular awareness-building are essential to make your policy work in practice. You could include:
Mental health awareness training for managers, to help them spot early signs and handle conversations confidently
E-learning courses for all staff on stress management, resilience, or mental health basics
Induction briefings that include a section on mental health support
Toolkits and guides to help employees support themselves and others
Awareness days or campaigns, like Time to Talk Day or Mental Health Awareness Week
Creating mental health champions to advocate and keep the conversation going
Even a short online course or 15-minute team talk can make a big difference.
Monitoring and review
Your policy shouldn’t sit in a drawer gathering dust—keep it active and evolving. You could commit to:
Reviewing the policy annually, or sooner if legislation or best practice changes
Seeking employee feedback via surveys or wellbeing check-ins
Monitoring absence data, turnover, or exit interviews for wellbeing-related themes
Keeping up with new tools or support options, such as digital mental health platforms
Reporting anonymised trends to leadership teams to track improvement and identify gaps
If you’re a larger business, consider forming a wellbeing steering group or focus group to support this.
Tips for rolling your policy out
Keep it human: Avoid jargon. Write like you talk.
Get buy-in from the top: Leaders should champion it, not just sign it off.
Communicate it well: Share it in onboarding, team meetings, and internal channels.
Make it visible: Pin it to your intranet, break room noticeboard, or wherever your team hangs out online.
Get help with your policy from BrightHR
Creating a mental health and wellbeing policy isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a must if you want to build a thriving workplace. You don’t need to be a mental health expert, and it doesn’t have to be perfect from the get-go.
Start simple, make it genuine, and be ready to adapt as your team’s needs evolve. Plus, you don’t need to start from scratch with BrightHR on your side.
With BrightHR you get access to a full HR document library packed with ready-to-use policy templates, toolkits, and guides to help you build a clear, supportive mental health policy tailored to your business.
But that’s not all, you’ll also get access to:
The UKs leading Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) with 24/7 confidential mental health support
E-learning courses to train your team and raise mental health awareness across your workplace
Ongoing 24/7 support from HR experts who have seen it all and can help you get it right
Ready to take mental health seriously in your business? Book a free BrightHR demo and see for yourself how we can help you create a healthier, happier workplace.
