The statistics are alarming. Only a third of men seeking mental health treatment utilise the NHS, while a significant portion fear repercussions at work – either time off or judgement, says Graham James.
In fact, nearly half (46 percent) of employees feel embarrassed or ashamed to talk to their manager about mental health struggles.
This is especially concerning for the 45 to 64 age bracket where the risk of death by suicide peak. Substantial progress is needed to address the complexities of men’s mental health. \
However, leaders can drive significant change by prioritising men’s wellbeing through long-term workplace strategies.
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Personal Experience of the Hidden Epidemic
It’s easy to miss the signs of poor mental health in others. Sleepless nights, changes in behaviour, changes at home with financial worries, relationships and isolation along with poor eating habits happen behind closed doors. From a senior leader’s perspective, it can be especially challenging to recognise the signs of poor mental health. This is because, more often than not, leaders are inclined to prioritise results and the performance of individuals rather than wider changes to personality traits.
I know this from my personal experience. I was managing a colleague, a top performer – someone who was consistently hitting targets. Little did I know, he was struggling with long-term financial difficulties and a situation in his personal life. I was focused on his work performance, which was first class until it wasn’t, and so I missed the signs. His work performance masked his poor mental health, leading to a long and difficult recovery. These were subtle changes over a period of time including appearance, patience, and behaviours, but eventually all added up to one big problem.
It’s one of my biggest regrets, which is why I’m such a big advocate for line managers to make sure they are looking for the subtle signs. It’s also necessary to normalise EAP services. By promoting their use proactively, organisations can create a positive wellbeing culture, encouraging employees to seek support before issues escalate into crises.
The moral of this story is an important one: leaders need to recognise the importance of men’s wellbeing, and this is the first step to creating positive change. Once self-awareness is made, open conversations must be encouraged, and you will be surprised by the significant impact this will have.
Normalise the Conversation
It is known that some men can often suppress their mental health struggles. A recent study found that over a third of workers (35%) do not feel comfortable letting their line manager know if they were experiencing high or extreme levels of pressure at work. This is particularly concerning when 46 percent of employees identified a supportive line manager and network of colleagues as the two key factors to help them alleviate stress and prevent burnout.
Leaders have a responsibility to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels safe to openly discuss their wellbeing. This requires a shift in how conversations are approached. Instead of “how are you?”, leaders can reshape the conversation with “how are you feeling?”. Simple questions, with true and genuine intention, can open doors, especially within the workplace. With these boundaries in place at work, men hopefully will feel more at ease talking openly without the fear of a negative workplace stigma.
Equip Line Managers with Emotional Intelligence
It may seem obvious, but leaders cannot create a positive mental health environment without prioritising their own wellbeing. Often, managers can feel pressurised to meet targets, operating with a task-orientated attitude, without analysing their own thoughts and feelings in the process. But, yet the ability to be emotionally intelligent plays a big role in performance.
Research dating back decades also found a strong correlation between emotional intelligence and performance — the ability to manage yours and other feelings was the strongest predictor of success in the workplace. Leaders need to recognise that emotional intelligence is not all fluff but has a real impact on an individual’s performance as well as the wider company.
So, how can leaders continuously develop their emotional intelligence? Training courses are a great place to start and can be a valuable tool when identifying emotional strengths and weaknesses. Pinpointing the most relevant techniques for leaders to develop their emotional intelligence, such as clear communication to mitigate conflict and being able to ‘read the room’ and understand colleagues’ real feelings, is a helpful approach to continuously create a healthy and open environment, where employees feel able to express their true emotions.
By acknowledging the hidden struggle of men’s mental health and equipping leaders with the right tools, a more supportive workplace environment, where open conversations are at the forefront can be created. This will not only benefit employees’ wellbeing but can also lead to a more productive and successful organisation.
So, are you ready to talk?
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By Graham James, Director at Pluxee UK.
Graham James is Director at Pluxee UK, where he leads initiatives in employee engagement and workplace benefits strategy. As an employee engagement expert, he works on financial wellbeing programs and employee discount platforms designed to improve employee experience and adoption of better spending practices. His professional focus spans employee benefits, workplace mental health, and organizational wellbeing — areas where he has contributed thought leadership through publications and industry commentary. James has written on topics including men's mental health in the workplace and the importance of employee engagement strategies in driving organizational success.
