open space office meeting mental health support

How to Champion Positive Mental Health in the Workplace

May 27, 2021

As we enter into the ‘new normal’, the return to the workplace can be difficult for many as we all process the experiences we’ve been through in recent times. It can feel like so much has changed, and yet can feel like we’ve been running on the spot.

This sudden shift back to normality will appear quite daunting for employees who have been predominantly working from home, especially as we consider our mental health and the affect the last year has had on it.

mental health in the workplace

We’ve spent a considerable amount of that time around our family members, children, pets, spouses, or even just ourselves. We’ve lived out the last year connecting with people through screens and creating social distance to keep ourselves safe, so an interactive world in public can feel a bit overwhelming.

Just like physical health, mental health is incredibly important to nurture and take care of in order to maintain our wellbeing. It’s been estimated that in the last year 41% of employees experienced symptoms of compromised mental health caused by work. This shows that taking action to mitigate mental health risks is as important as ever, and it’s up to businesses everywhere to ensure they make their workplaces as mental health-friendly as possible.

Giving yourself and your staff the tools to cope mentally will make the transition back to a blended form of working, and being amongst colleagues, much easier.

There are many ways in which we can take care of our mental health by reducing work-related stress, and minimising the pressure of returning to spaces that have been largely empty for the last year.

empty office space open plan business meeting

Things to consider when returning to the workplace:

Processing emotions

Returning to the workplace can be difficult to deal with as a lot of people have become accustomed to being under heightened levels of stress over the last year. This can cause some anxiety in social situations, as the change can be a bit of a shock to the system.

Likewise, some staff may have lost loved ones over the last few months, so it’s important they don’t feel rushed to make the transition back to the office and feel supported in managing their feelings.


Solid management

It’s important for all managers to keep in contact with staff they work with, to give everyone the opportunity to voice any concerns or be open about how they’re coping.

Checking in with frequent one-to-ones or having team meetings to balance workloads will be massively beneficial, as it keeps everyone on the same page and will help to solve any potential issues as they arise.

board room meeting hands on table

Communication is key

Many office spaces may have changed, downsized, or upscaled in the last year, so working spaces will look a little different upon return. Desks may have been moved, partitions may have been added, or more hotdesks might be used.

These, and any other changes or new restrictions have to be communicated effectively to employees so they know what to expect on their return. This will help with making them feel secure and safe in their new working environment.

Social boundaries

Some people haven’t had much social contact within the last few months, or may have been shielding for most of the last year. So, it can be tough for them to go back to face-to-face contact immediately.

They may even insist on maintaining boundaries and physical space barriers, so sitting too close to others or sharing communal areas might be a bit of a struggle. Make sure everyone’s comfort level is catered for and support mechanisms are in place where needed.

You may even want to invest in social distancing bands. They work on the traffic light system with green meaning ‘happy to engage with others’, orange for those who are still cautious and red for people who are still participating in social distancing.

Be mindful of social events

With things slowly returning to normal, it can be tempting to try and organise lots of events to make up for missed socialising time. But for some, the stress of the last year has caused them to disconnect from social situations, or has diminished their emotional reserves.

Make sure you have a culture of support in place, as opposed to insisting all employees attend events or gatherings that they’re not comfortable being a part of yet. Even social functions such as in-person meetings should be reserved for when they cannot be done digitally.

workplace board room meeting covid friendly mask

Be patient and flexible

Fear and anxiety will be common emotional responses that people will feel when returning to the workplace. So at first you should expect that some protocols or working hours may need to be flexible to accommodate your staff.

This may take some time, or a fair deal of trial and error, but once everyone has a balanced approach to their work patterns, they’ll become more comfortable with being back in the working environment.

Support networks

The stigma surrounding mental health is slowly fading, but there is still work to be done to get people comfortable with discussing it and taking care of theirs.

Set up wellbeing initiatives within your organisation that help your employees get any help they may need, and that lets them know there is always someone they can talk to. You can always sign up to a mental health scheme, run charity events, or promote local mental health services.

workplace board room meeting whiteboard

What we’re doing

At Aura, we have several initiatives in place to help our people cope with daily mental health issues.

We have partnered with Bupa: Healthy Minds to provide our staff with a 24/7 completely confidential employee stress helpline. Here they can talk to trained professionals about managing stress, arrange further counselling sessions, and speak about mental health resources.

We also have an Employee Hub set up where staff can access resources such as our stress risk assessment, stress toolkit, and tips and videos on how to manage mental health.

For the last year, our charity of the year has been Mind – one of the leading organisations that provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They also regularly campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding of mental health. We’ve run several charity events in aid of the fantastic work they do, with more to come, and have so far raised a significant amount through our collective efforts.

supporting Mind mental health charity

Our work with Mind has also really helped us to contribute in a small way to eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health, as well as give our employees a great cause to rally around during a time where a focus on it is much needed.


If you find that you’re struggling with mental health issues, or just want to learn new coping mechanisms, don’t suffer in silence. It’s so very important to talk to someone so you can get the support you need.

Find out more about the essential services that Mind provide here: https://www.mind.org.uk/