As organisations mark World Mental Health Day on Friday, new research reveals that employers view preventative mental health support as the most effective form of wellbeing provision in the workplace.
According to data from GRiD, the industry body for the group risk sector, 88 percent of UK employers now offer preventative support aimed at detecting and addressing health and wellbeing issues before they escalate. Among those that do, 43 percent say mental health support delivers the greatest benefit to staff, ahead of physical health (39 percent), financial support (27 percent) and social wellbeing initiatives (27 percent).
Preventative mental health support may include Employee Assistance Programmes, stress management training, access to counselling and awareness campaigns. They’re increasingly built into employer-sponsored benefits such as group income protection and critical illness cover.
Smaller firms less likely to offer mental health support
Despite widespread uptake among larger organisations, the availability of preventative mental health provision remains patchy in smaller workplaces. GRiD’s findings show that while 97 percent of employers with more than 250 staff provide some form of preventative support, this drops to 76 percent for micro-employers with fewer than ten staff.
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Looking specifically at preventative mental health provision, the gap widens further: 71 percent of large employers say they offer it, compared with just 38 percent of micro-employers.
This discrepancy raises concerns about equity of access. Smaller businesses, which often lack in-house HR teams or occupational health functions, may struggle to provide consistent support, leaving employees at greater risk of unresolved mental health issues.
A separate GRiD survey of employees, conducted alongside the employer research, found that nearly half (48 percent) feel a lack of preventative support from government is affecting them and their colleagues.
Government and NHS also shifting focus to prevention
The release of GRiD’s findings coincides with the 2025 theme of World Mental Health Day: “Mental health is a universal human right”. The international campaign is placing fresh attention on the availability and accessibility of mental health support, especially during crises or times of disruption.
The shift towards prevention is not unique to employers. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published earlier this year, identified preventative health as a key area of focus in reducing pressures on primary care and tackling long-term sickness. The Department for Work and Pensions has also consulted on reforms to Statutory Sick Pay and occupational health access, including proposals aimed at early intervention and employer engagement.
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, said many employers were already playing their part. “There’s so much preventative support available for employers and employees via employee benefits, and this is increasingly included within group risk benefits,” she said.
“Employers who help build mental resilience, champion a healthy lifestyle and support their staff in health screening and medical assessments will see their absence levels reduced, and minimise presenteeism. Furthermore, they will see reduced costs due to fewer claims.”
She added that when prevention was properly embedded into company culture, “it can have quite astounding results”.
Responsibility ‘must be shared’
Towergate Health & Protection, which advises employers on workplace wellbeing strategy, said this year’s awareness day was an opportunity for companies to help staff take greater ownership of their own mental health.
“Mental health needs to be prioritised in the workplace but this does not need to be a dictatorial approach,” Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate, said. “Employees should instead be supported by being given the means to take responsibility for their own mental health.”
The company recommends that employers support individuals by providing access to digital wellbeing tools, webinars and resilience training. Mindfulness apps, sleep improvement platforms and financial wellbeing resources can also be included in benefits packages, either directly or via insurance partners.
“Good mental health in the workplace can and should be a mutually beneficial partnership,” Clark said. “If the employer provides the right tools for the job, then this can help the employee to take greater responsibility for their own mental health. Improving mental health behaviours will result in less absenteeism, less presenteeism and so greater productivity and more profitable outcomes.”
Smaller firms face financial and structural barriers
While the appetite for prevention is growing, GRiD’s findings suggest many micro-employers lack the resources to adopt it fully. With fewer staff to spread the cost, and limited access to shared HR infrastructure, some are left relying on informal support or public services that may already be overstretched.
Sector bodies such as the Federation of Small Businesses have called for improved access to occupational health and mental health services for smaller organisations. Options proposed include pooled schemes, tax relief on wellbeing spend and better integration between public and private services.
There are also practical steps that even the smallest employers can take. These include signposting to NHS or third-sector services, partnering with wellbeing platforms that offer flexible pricing and training line managers to have confident conversations about stress or early signs of burnout.
What employers can do now
World Mental Health Day presents an opportunity for organisations to review and promote their existing support. GRiD recommends that HR and wellbeing leads:
- Audit current wellbeing provision and identify any gaps in preventative support
- Communicate clearly with staff about what is available and how to access it
- Run awareness campaigns or events to normalise conversations around mental health
- Provide training for managers to spot early signs of distress and intervene appropriately
- Consider extending benefits to include digital wellbeing tools or structured mental health pathways
- Gather data on usage and staff feedback to inform future provision
With long-term sickness rates still high and demand for mental health support outstripping supply in many parts of the NHS, employers have a growing role to play in maintaining the health and productivity of their workforce.
