World Mental Health Day: Why access to support must be a workplace priority

On October 10th, organisations around the world will observe World Mental Health Day, a crucial moment to recognise the importance of mental health in the workplace. This year’s theme highlights the vital need for accessible mental health support and services - especially within our working environments. 

For employers, this is not a distant societal issue – it's a workplace imperative. The reality is that many of our colleagues will experience mental health challenges during their careers. The question is not whether we should act, but how we ensure that every employee has the right support available when they need it most. 
 

The state of workplace wellbeing 

Our latest Hays Working Well Report highlights both progress and gaps. Encouragingly, many organisations are now prioritising mental health support, with many investing in access to health services and embedding flexible working into their wellbeing strategies. Yet despite these efforts, too many professionals still report feeling stressed, unsupported, or unsure where to turn. 

This disconnect matters. When employees feel seen and supported, engagement, productivity, and retention all rise. Conversely, when wellbeing is neglected, the costs - both human and organisational - are significant. 
 

What true access looks like 

Access to mental health support is not just about having an Employee Assistance Programme in place or signposting to external resources. It is about creating a culture where people feel safe to speak openly, where support is visible and accessible, and where no one feels that help is out of reach because of their role, location, or working pattern. 

It also means ensuring that initiatives are not just launched but are effective. Training managers to have open conversations, equipping mental health first aiders to provide immediate reassurance, and listening carefully to employee feedback all help to ensure that services are not only available but genuinely accessible. 

As our Head of Wellbeing, Hannah Pearsall, recently wrote, wellbeing is no longer a “nice to have” – it is a strategic imperative. Organisations that invest in wellbeing are not trading off profit for compassion; they are building resilience, loyalty, and long-term value. 
 

The business case is clear 

The evidence is quite clear - employees who feel supported with their wellbeing are more productive, take fewer sick days, and are more likely to stay with their employer. In fact, 88% of professionals in our research said a strong wellbeing culture is essential to their decision to remain in their current role. 

For shareholders and investors, wellbeing is increasingly recognised as a driver of sustainable performance. For customers, it translates into more empathetic, innovative, and human interactions. And for society, it contributes to healthier, more resilient communities. 
 

Our commitment at Hays 

At Hays, we are committed to fostering an open culture where conversations about mental health are normalised, recognising this is just as vital as ensuring that access to mental health support is embedded in our every day. We have trained and empowered mental health first aiders across our business, provided confidential access to professional support services such as Sonder, and equipped managers with the tools to have open, supportive conversations. Just as importantly, we continue to listen to our people, measure impact, and adapt our approach as the world of work evolves. 

We know this is a journey. The pressures people face are changing all the time, and our responsibility is to keep wellbeing at the heart of our strategy - not as a one-off initiative, but as a sustained commitment. 
 

A call to action 

This World Mental Health Day, I encourage every business leader to reflect on whether their people truly have access to the support they need. Are conversations about mental health normalised? Are services equitable and effective? Are we, as leaders, creating workplaces where wellbeing is not an afterthought but a foundation? 

This year’s theme of access is a timely reminder that mental health support should be available to everyone. As employers, we have a real opportunity to help make that a reality in the workplace by creating environments where people feel supported and able to reach out when they need to.