Investors call for greater focus on mental wellbeing support in workplaces

The impact of employee mental health on bottom line performance and investment risk has been flagged by CCLA Investment Management.

Its Corporate Mental Health Benchmark UK 100 highlighted an increased engagement and interest among employers in the mental wellbeing issue. But the research also found that only 41% use data insights on what’s actually happening in workplaces to inform their mental health strategy.

Performance factor

The Benchmark is a signal of the growing attention among investors and the financial sector in general to how organisations manage the new risks around employee mental health and what that means for overall business performance.

“Organisations are now facing a new wave of challenges, including economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability, rapid technological shifts, and the escalating effects of climate change,” said CCLA. “In this increasingly complex environment, the pressures on employees’ mental resilience continue to grow, making it essential for businesses to maintain a strong focus on supporting the mental health and well-being of their people.”

The data is all there

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “Investors know that poorly supported employees, just like business models that aren’t designed to meet the challenges of climate change and the need for sustainability, are a real danger when it comes to their money.

“Not using the data available from EAPAs means mental wellbeing support programmes can remain a token activity. There has to be a joined up approach using the evidence on issues and trends among specific demographic elements of an organisation to keep on building and developing the types of support offered, and to understand what the underlying causes may be in terms of workplace environments and pressures.”

Are mental health concerns being used as an excuse for youth unemployment?

The number of 16-24 year-olds in the UK who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) has reached the highest level in 12 years. 60% of all NEETs haven’t ever had a job. And this comes with implications for taxpayers, an estimated £125 billion a year.

The Department for Work and Pension’s independent review of the issue has been led by Alan Milburn, concluding that the rises have been caused by the changing nature of work opportunities (the impact of technologies such as AI) and the ‘epidemic’ of mental health issues among younger people. A ‘solutions’ report is expected this year.

Worries about the work ethic

The review has included evidence from employers that suggests a lack of drive and initiative among young people. There can be a low number of applicants for less attractive role, many no-shows for interviews (including for apprenticeships and training roles), and in general, more young people who are willing to point to mental health issues when faced with work demands and issues of performance.

As a result, there is criticism among commentators of how school education and the wider culture has focused on wellbeing at the expense of resilience and the work ethic.

Work for wellbeing

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “Rather than a problem for organisations, the issue of youth unemployment is an opportunity. We know that being in work is the foundation for good mental health for the great majority of employees. It means a basis of financial security, a sense of purpose and belonging, challenges and rewards and friendships as a daily routine.

“There are always going to be trade-offs between those benefits and the pressures involved with workplaces and meeting the demands and expectations that come with them — but good employers are able to get the balance right, through thoughtful job design, management practices and attention to health and wellbeing in general as part of the deal.

“The issue of NEETs is the chance for employers to make this case and to demonstrate how much they do for the health of the nation and for those people, whatever age they might be, who are willing to take on challenges and responsibilities.”

Do HR professionals need tailored treatment over mental health?

A new ‘HR mental wellbeing report 2026’ among 3,000 HR professionals over the course of three years has found that only 13% felt their mental health had been “well supported” at work.

Low mood and depression had affected 74%; and 44% believed they had experienced symptoms of clinical depression (compared with the national average in the UK population of 18%). Anxiety was reported by 73% (40% at a clinically significant level) compared with 15% nationally. The report, carried out by Ultimate Resilience and Everywhen, suggested that 38% of the staff surveyed were considering leaving the profession as a result.

Tailored health for HR

The findings also point to the value of wellbeing support: the HR professionals who did feel supported by their employer reported how they were less likely to be dealing with the symptoms of anxiety, depression and burnout, and less likely to be taking sick leave because of stress or thinking about leaving the profession.

The complexity and demands on HR, argues the report authors, means that the usual signposting to an EAP and advice on wellbeing and mental health isn’t enough for people in those roles. Instead, they say, employers should be provided with services tailored to their particular needs, including “access to tailored mental health support and structured supervision”, along with “psychologically-informed reflective spaces, such as HR supervision”. Specific communications are needed to understand the needs of HR teams.

What’s happening?

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “Of all the functions within an organisation, HR should be the most aware of the advice around mental health and wellbeing, and the different kinds of support services available. So what’s going wrong?

“It may be that some HR professionals feel that services like the EAP are for other people, not themselves — as well as there being a level of overfamiliarity, an assumption they know the general advice and what an EAP is for, its critical value in helping people at early stages and to defuse potential problems.

“All types and levels of workers face their own kinds of pressures and challenges, and for HR teams to receive special treatment in terms of tailoring, given the range of services that are already available, feels unnecessary and a misunderstanding of the underlying causes.”

Our EAP: Accor Hotels

For an employer like hotel group Accor, the large workforce involved ranges widely across ages and backgrounds, as well as types of role and long to short-term involvements. An EAP had to be flexible enough to work for 4,500 UK employees in its London HQ and a network of hotels across the country, from senior managers to temporary staff.

‘Hospitality burnout’ has been identified as a particular risk for the sector — a result of the constant pressures or ‘emotional labour’ that comes with delivering hotel services to customers with high expectations.

With this in mind, Accor introduced a single platform for access to support on both physical and mental health, alongside a particular focus on issues such as the cost of living and financial wellbeing, and a menopause helpline.

“We needed a one-stop solution for our diverse and multi-generational UK-based workforce which would be easy to use and accessible while bringing together existing and new benefits,” said Fran Carr, Talent and Culture Director UK/Ireland & Nordics, Accor Hotels. “The menopause helpline, in particular, will support a large proportion of our employees.” 

The centralised, health management platform includes 24/7 access to counselling arrangements, face-to-face and virtual, online GP services and financial wellbeing tools. The EAP is focused on personalised attention, with the opportunity to undertake wellbeing assessments and set personal goals.

Menopause Action Plans: From obligation to opportunity

Ann O’Neill, CEO and Co-founder, Adora Digital Health:

Something significant shifted in April 2026. Employers with 250 or more employees can now voluntarily publish a Menopause Action Plan under the Employment Rights Act 2025 – and from April 2027, it becomes mandatory.

For those of us working in employee wellbeing, this should feel like a long-overdue moment of recognition. For employers, it is also a moment of real legal consequence.

The stakes are higher than many HR teams yet realise. The same legislation reduces the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims from two years to just six months, effective January 2027, and removes the cap on compensation entirely. Menopause-related performance management or absence handling that falls short of the standard – already capable of engaging protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 – could now carry dramatically greater financial and reputational exposure.

But I want to focus on the opportunity, not just the obligation. The guidance asks employers to take meaningful action across six areas: manager training, peer support networks, workplace adjustments, risk assessments, policy review, and access to occupational health. Employers must demonstrate progress on at least one. The Government has made clear it wants to see lasting change, not tick-box compliance – and will publish a list of organisations that fail to submit.

What does meaningful action actually look like? In my experience, it starts with women feeling seen. Many are quietly managing severe symptoms — disrupted sleep, brain fog, anxiety, joint pain — while trying to maintain performance and presence at work. They are often unsure whether what they are experiencing is menopause, whether to disclose it, or where to turn. The pathway to support is frequently unclear and slow.

Employers who invest in changing that experience — through education, clinical access, and a culture where women’s health is spoken about openly — will not only meet their legal obligations. They will retain experienced female talent at a critical career stage, and signal to their wider workforce that they take inclusion seriously.

The menopause action plan is not a policy exercise. It is a chance to do something that genuinely matters.

Ann O’Neill is CEO and co-founder of Adora Digital Health, a clinically led digital platform supporting women with their menstrual health through perimenopause and menopause. Adora provides personalised assessments, symptom tracking, expert-led webinars, clinical drop-ins, specialist consultations, and manager education tools designed to help employers build credible, compliant menopause action plans.

How can your EAP support your neurodivergent staff, managers and teams?

As organisations work to build inclusive, high performing workplaces, neurodivergence is moving from a ‘nice to have’ consideration to a crucial priority.  Organisations have specific policies in relation to supporting neurodivergent staff, understanding that it is no longer affordable to overlook the strengths and needs of their neurodivergent talent.

Organisations understand the benefits of neurodivergent thinkers, different thinkers support innovation, productivity and attract talent to their company.   Neurodivergent thinkers bring key strengths that any company would want to embrace, creativity, focus, holistic thinking, and problem solving. Ignoring neurodivergent applicants or your neurodivergent talent is likely to lead to disengagement, absenteeism and a loss of talent — why would someone stay who doesn’t value them or see their strengths? Supporting neurodivergent staff makes economic, moral and commercial sense.

Supporting staff is not always an easy job, and line managers may feel ill-equipped to support neurodivergent members of staff. This is alongside those neurodivergent staff feeling reluctant to disclose their needs due to fear of stigma or misunderstanding around neurodivergence. In addition our workspaces are not historically set up for neurodivergent employees and diverse cognitive profiles so supporting and engaging with your neurodivergent workforce is vital. If appropriate support and structures are not in place it can lead to increased stress and disengagement.

The role of EAPs is to offer confidential support that is accessible for all employees and can include equipping managers and employees with practical guidance and strategies on what steps to take to be able to address workplace issues before they escalate into a wellbeing issue or performance issue. As employers, your role is clear, embedding the right support, which includes a robust EAP provision can support you moving to meaningful, sustained inclusion for your neurodivergent employees.

Rebecca Wones, Director of Psychology (Neurodiversity), PAM Wellness

New UK mental health strategy: what’s the role for EAPs?

A new consultation process has been announced to help shape the government’s approach to dealing with the UK’s mental health challenges.

The call for views and evidence — which runs until 10 July 2026 — is intended in particular to help inform a shift towards prevention and early interventions, “supporting those with mental health conditions to live a full life and stay active in education, work, family life and their communities.”

National issues

The government acknowledges that NHS services are struggling keep up with rising levels of demand for mental health support. The recruitment of 8,500 extra ‘mental health workers’, three years ahead of schedule, hasn’t had the impact .

“But despite record investment and significant workforce growth, the current system remains reactive, fragmented and inconsistent,” says the government announcement. “Support varies based on postcode, and too often people only get help when they reach crisis point. The mental health strategy will address this by setting new direction for the mental health system so that it responds earlier and more proportionately.”

The EAP factor

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “In the announcement of the consultation and responses from mental health charities there isn’t any reference to the central role played by work, workplaces and employers in the mental health of the nation. The realty is that work is fundamental in people’s lives. It provides financial rewards and security, a sense of purpose and belonging, a community, networks of colleagues and friends. And with that, because of its importance in people’s lives, there also comes challenges and tests of wellbeing.

“This is why employers and their activities around mental well-being are so important. The immediate access to EAP services and opportunity for counselling has become a pillar of mental health services in the UK for millions of employees. Any new strategy and approach must recognise the work that employers and their EAP partners are doing, and encourage synergies and opportunities for more mutual support between government activities and those of organisations.”

Workplace pressures can be fatal, says the International Labour Organisation

For its new global study, The Psychosocial Working Environment, International Labour Organisation researchers looked at the relationships between risk factors at work and global health and mortality data from the World Health Organisation. They estimated that more than 840,000 people die each year as a result of health conditions associated with workplace stresses.

The key issues were found to be job strain and insecurity, excessive working hours, workplace bullying and feelings of being unappreciated: the imbalance between effort and reward. And evidence was found that these factors were linked to rising numbers of cases of cardiovascular diseases and poor mental health.

Problems of job design

The ILO has highlighted the importance of managing psychosocial risks by looking at job design, performance systems and workplace culture and their impact on wellbeing. The severity of health risks has been worsened in recent times, it says, by the changes brought about by digitalisation, AI, remote work and less secure employment models.

There needs to be a more proactive approach around psychosocial risks, as “one of the most pressing concerns for occupational health worldwide”, with job design and management included as part of occupational health safety systems.

Understanding root causes

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “EAPs have an important double role to play here. They are essential in making sure employees have immediate access to independent, professional support and get early advice around the impact of workplace stresses on their lives and health in general.

“But EAPs also shouldn’t just be used as a reactive service. It’s important that HR and their EAP providers work together to look at the available data and insights into how EAPs are being used and by who, building up a picture of how different aspects of job roles and their design have an impact on health, both psychologically and physically.”

Why are employees with mental health issues being stigmatised again?

A recent trend in media reporting is encouraging a new form of stigma around people living with mental health issues, says Lisa McNally a Director of Public Health for Worcestershire County Council. 

In an opinion article for the Centre for Mental Health she highlights the rising number of media articles that question whether people are “gaming the NHS to get time off work” in the context of the UK’s high levels of long-term sickness and problems with economic inactivity. This has included the BBC surveys among GPs that suggested they rarely refuse any requests for sick notes for mental health concerns, and are often pressurised by patients.

Rage bait

Lisa McNally, who also an Honorary Professor at University of Birmingham, worries that the new form of stigma is the result of the media need for ‘rage bait’ for securing evidence of clicks and engagement.

“Reinforcing mental health stigma makes things worse for everyone. It can discourage people from getting help. It can stop them finding employment or housing. It can cause isolation and community tension. It can also lead people to lose trust in health professionals, making their jobs harder than they already are. Literally no one benefits from it.”

Stress or illness

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “The nub of the issue is the difference between employees dealing with what might be considered ‘standard’ or common levels of stress and worry or low mood, that everyone experiences at times, and those who are suffering from serious, long-terms forms of mental illness which have a significant impact on their ability to work — and can lead to long-terms sickness absence.

“In recent years employers have demonstrated their recognition of the importance of wellbeing and mental health. But with NHS services under pressure and GPs unwilling to make judgments on the sensitive and complex cases that involve psychological health, who is taking responsibility for deciding what is ‘ordinary’ stress and what is an illness?

“Talking to an independent professional via an EAP is always going to be an important factor in terms of providing perspective for employees — for them to better understand their experiences and deal with underlying causes. And ultimately it will always be a matter of trust and relationships. Those employers with an open, supportive and positive culture are going to be more likely to have committed and engaged staff.”

Few GPs ever refuse a mental health sick note

In response to a BBC questionnaire, 540 of 752 GPs said they had never denied a sick note relating to mental health. 162 said they’d refused at least one (and 50 preferred not to say).

GPs highlighted how they didn’t believe they should have to “police the sick note system” — and how there were cases of patients becoming aggressive if a sick note for mental ill-health wasn’t issued.

Sick note culture

Last year, more than 956,000 sick notes were issued giving the specific reason of mental illness. But sick notes don’t need to include a reason, and another 72% didn’t.

The rapid growth in the issuing of sick notes for mental ill-health is central to the wider concerns in government at the spiralling cost of benefits provision.

A particular concern is around the attitude of younger adults to the workplace — supported by evidence from GPs in the BBC survey. One GP commented: “We sign off legions of young patients with anxiety and depression who are quite clearly not ill.”

Back to employers

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “If GPs aren’t able to play a role in assessing mental health — it’s a reasonable point that it’s difficult for them to both offer support, be an advocate of patients, and also be a judge — then the responsibility appears to be drifting towards employers.

“A government pilot of a ‘stay in/return to work’ scheme is already running with 60 businesses, including Jaguar Land Rover, mainly focused on preventative health, exercise classes, health checks and access to counselling — and is a signal of things to come.

“But there’s a bigger question here, a serious one for the sector and employers in general, of whether a professional service like an EAP can be used to assess the extent of mental ill-health and the necessity for specific adaptations in terms of keeping people in work.”