Encouraging Men’s Health in the Workplace: Breaking the Stigma

The topic of men’s mental health is still an extremely pressing issue, especially in the UK. The UK government has decided now is the time to act and address the issue of men’s health. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has called for evidence to inform a strategy to tackle the life expectancy gap between men and women in England. An extremely concerning statistic which demonstrates the importance of breaking the stigma around men seeking mental health support is that amongst is that the leading cause of death among men aged 50 and below, is suicide.

Related article: Mental Health resources if you have thoughts of suicide

Progress has been made in helping people access mental health support, but stigma remains a barrier for many. According to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy's 2025 Public Perceptions Survey, 47% of men believe there is still a stigma attached to seeking therapy, compared with 38% of women. Encouraging openness within your organisation can help normalise conversations around mental health and make it easier for men to seek support when they need it.

Why men's health needs attention at work

According to ONS data from 2024*, the suicide rate in England and Wales was 17.6 deaths per 100,000 men, compared with 5.7 per 100,000 women, meaning men were around three times more likely to die by suicide. Despite these stark statistics, men's mental health can often be overlooked. There are a variety of reasons for this, many of which are influenced by societal expectations and long-standing misconceptions about how men experience and express mental distress.

While women are statistically more likely to report common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, it is vital that support is accessible to everyone. Men continue to be disproportionately affected by the most severe mental health outcomes. In 2024, men accounted for approximately three-quarters of all suicide deaths in the UK, highlighting the importance of ensuring that wellbeing initiatives are designed to reach those who may be less likely to seek support through traditional channels.

Research and public health data continue to show that men experience different mental health outcomes and help-seeking behaviours than women. For this reason, organisations should take care not to assume that lower rates of reported mental health conditions reflect lower levels of need. Instead, workplaces should ensure support is visible, accessible and relevant to all employees.

Some official health datasets are published with a reporting lag. Where 2025 figures are not available, the most recently published and verified statistics have been used.

What the Men's Health Strategy for England means for employers

In November 2025 the government published Men's health: a strategic vision for England, the first men's health strategy England has had. It sets out a ten-year plan and includes several commitments that affect employers directly.

Among them are £3.6 million over three years for suicide prevention work aimed at middle aged men in higher risk areas, £3 million for community men's health programmes from April 2026, a three-year Premier League partnership on suicide prevention with Samaritans, and workplace health pilots in male dominated industries.

There is no new legal duty on employers here. What there is, is a clear signal of direction, and a set of resources that will become available. For organisations in construction, manufacturing, logistics, agriculture and similar sectors, it is worth keeping an eye on the workplace pilots.

The strategy's call for evidence also found that 67% of men with a health condition said it affected them at work, most commonly through stress, mental health and productivity. These were self-selecting respondents rather than a representative sample, but the direction is consistent with everything else.

Why men are less likely to speak up

Hesitation is shaped by a mix of factors. Many men grow up with messages that resilience means coping alone, pushing on or keeping problems private. When stress builds, it can be easier to bury it in work, distraction or unhealthy coping mechanisms than to tell someone you're struggling.

Research from Mind found that 43% of men regularly feel worried or low, while more than a quarter say embarrassment prevents them from seeking help. That matters because problems that are never discussed are rarely addressed. For employers, the result is often reduced performance, presenteeism, rising absence or a colleague reaching crisis point before support is offered.

Signs that a male colleague may be struggling with their mental health

As has been established, men are typically conditioned to repress and hide their emotions and feelings, so it can be more difficult to identify when they may be experiencing poor mental health.

Emotional signs

There are signs that can indicate something may be affecting an individual. Some of the tell-tale signs may be that they are more aggressive, irritable and they are experiencing violent and sudden mood swings. Due to the fact men have typically been conditioned to repress feelings of sadness, emotional outbursts will instead manifest in the form of irritation and anger. The inability to engaged with their emotions due to the stigma of not being perceived as masculine results in stress, confusion, anger and anxiety, all of which can accumulate into severe and persistent depression and possibly even suicidal ideation.

Behavioural signs

Behavioural indicators that a man is amid a mental health struggle may see some crossover of emotional indicators such as mood swings and aggression, there can be far more worrying and damaging behaviours in play. One of the key indicators is typically substance abuse. The reluctance to engage with emotions and mental wellbeing in a healthy and open manner often opens a door to self-medicating in the form of substance abuse to numb their overwhelming emotions. This in the long run will be incredibly damaging and detrimental to any person struggling with a mental health condition. While substances may provide short-term relief and pleasure, depressive and anxious states will become far more intense, alongside increased financial woes, physical detriment and riskier behaviours.

Physical signs

When struggling with mental health, people tend to experience physical reactions to their conditions and mental state. Stress and anxiety can lead to a lack of quality sleep which may involve bouts of insomnia or overtiredness, both of which can lead to further illness. The mental stress can have direct consequences on the body, resulting in things such as stress headaches, stomach pains and digestive issues. It can be difficult to spot physical signs as they may be personal and internal, but simple questions and enquiring as to how someone may be doing could provide some clues and insight.

Social signs

Social indicators that a man may be dealing with declining mental health struggles may be self-imposed isolation. Some individuals may feel as though they are a burden, that they may damage their relationships further, anxious that friends and family dislike them or simply lose interest in social or daily activities. It can be hard to connect to men in these periods as they isolate themselves, but often, it is in these times where they require the most support.

Steps to reduce the stigma around men’s mental health

Plenty of progress has been made since the turn of the millennium to raise awareness around the topic of mental health. Over the past decade, men’s mental health has become an extremely prevalent topic. The aim is to break any stigma surrounding the topic, there is still plenty left to do. Here are some methods and processes that organisations can implement to reduce the impact of declining men’s mental health, particularly in the workplace.

Skill training

Protecting your workforce from harm and ill-health, including their mental health is the duty of any employer. However, one of the best ways to achieve this is by providing your people with the skills and knowledge to effectively handle periods of ill mental health. Here are some training resources to provide your people with the resources to support their own and others mental wellbeing:

• Mental Health First Aid Training
  
• Trauma Workshops
• Suicide First Aid Training
  
• Stress management
• Bereavement and grief training

Awareness days

Eliminating the stigma around men seeking mental health support involves increasing awareness for mental health conditions, the associated effects and how mental health struggles are a common occurrence. This can be achieved through workplace and calendar awareness days. By using these dates to highlight different issues, what is associated with them and how to overcome the difficulties they present, men within your organisation may feel more comfortable to address their feelings. Here are some key awareness days you can celebrate in your workplace:

• Time to Talk Day (February)
• Stress Awareness Month (April)
• Mental Health Awareness Week (May)
• World Mental Health Day (October)
• Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month (November)

Signposting

If you have established procedures, and strategies to support your people with their mental health, that is one thing. But you must ensure they are aware of these strategies, how they can access necessary resources and what benefits they serve. This is why it is vital to ensure you are signposting the resources you have available.

• Samaritans, free on 116 123, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
• CALM, the Campaign Against Living Miserably free on 0800 58 58 58, 5pm to midnight daily, with webchat
• ANDYSMANCLUB, free peer support groups for men, running every Monday evening across the UK
• NHS mental health services, including self-referral to talking therapies in England

Open communication

One of the most difficult elements for men when it comes to seeking mental health support in the workplace is feeling comfortable and secure enough to be open with a colleague. By fostering and encouraging a culture of openness and support, men in will feel more comfortable seeking the necessary support to assist them with their mental health. This can be achieved by:

• Regular one-to-one’s
• On-site counsellors
• Wellbeing surveys
• Team activity days
• Implementing collaborative processes in projects

How an Assistance Programme can help support men’s mental health

Supporting your people’s mental health is never the simplest task. This is even more relevant when discussing the mental health as men as men may be less likely to reach out for support. With Wisdom Wellbeing’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), the men in your workforce will have secure access to 24/7 in-the-moment support, 365-days a year. With over 2000 counsellors, we are equipped and prepared to assist your workforce to overcome professional and personal challenges using expert advice and solutions.

Men who may be cautious of counselling can have faith in our 100% confidential and free service, where they can seek advice on financial difficulties and even seek legal guidance from us. Legal issues can be particularly stressful and difficult to deal with, whether it is an issue in the courts or simple advice and explanations on everyday legal issues, our expert team can offer reliable advice and support.

Conclusion

Supporting men’s mental health has become a prevalent topic for most organisations these days due to the risk declining mental health poses to men. As they are the demographic which are statistically the most susceptible to a critical incident, mainly due to the stigma surrounding masculinity and seeking assistance, organisations need to be prepared to effectively manage their mental health. Protecting and managing the mental wellbeing of the men in your workforce may not only save you added costs, but it could also save lives.