Mental Health at Work: New Data Shows Why All Leaders Must Step Up

While top leadership is increasingly vocal about mental health at work, genuine engagement across all organisational levels – executive, managerial, governance and grassroots – remains critically underdeveloped.

New findings from the 2025 Mental Health at Work Index, released by One Mind at Work, highlight a stark reality: although organisations are speaking more about workplace mental health, action often fails to cascade beyond the C-suite. This gap between rhetoric and tangible leadership is costing organisations in employee satisfaction, retention and performance.

According to the research, 86% of organisations have an executive responsible for workplace mental health, and 60% of senior leaders formally prioritise it. Yet only 41% consistently model healthy behaviours. The study also revealed:

• Just 25% of executives hold their teams accountable for advancing mental health at work.
• Only 10% of boards have a clearly defined role in workforce mental health strategy.
• Although 86% of organisations collect employee feedback on mental health, only 33% fully leverage it to improve programmes.
• Fewer than 40% of organisations have active employee mental health champions — and fewer than one in four equip them with real influence.

In short, there is no shortage of good intentions. But without real engagement at every level of leadership, mental health initiatives risk becoming hollow promises rather than transformative forces.

CRITICAL GAPS IN MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK

According to the study, four critical gaps are preventing organisations from providing adequate mental health support:

1. Executive support isn’t reaching the front lines.

Senior executives are increasingly championing mental health publicly, but real leadership requires more than statements. Without visible action and accountability, initiatives stall at the top and fail to influence everyday work culture. The study found that:

• Only 55% of leaders actively participate in mental health initiatives.
• Just 41% model positive behaviours, such as taking time off or setting clear boundaries.
• Critically, only one in four executives hold their direct reports accountable for supporting workforce mental health.

2. Managers lack the tools and training to lead.

Managers are the linchpin between policy and practice. They have a unique opportunity to normalise mental health conversations but often lack the skills to personalise support or connect it to daily work realities. According to the research:

• Fewer than one in three managers tailor mental health initiatives to their team’s needs.
• Only 33% gather feedback from employees on mental health issues.
• Just 32% recognise or celebrate employees’ participation in mental health initiatives.

3. Boards are missing in action.

Despite their strategic role, most boards are largely passive regarding workforce mental health. Without governance-level leadership, mental health remains disconnected from business strategy, risk management, and ESG initiatives. The study revealed:

• Only 10% of organisations define the board’s role in mental health oversight.
• Just 30% share mental health outcomes with their boards.
• Only 15% report active board engagement in mental health priorities.

4. Employee leadership remains untapped.

Employees are often closest to the challenges – and solutions – surrounding mental health. Yet organisations are missing a major opportunity by sidelining employee leadership. The survey found:

• Although 86% of companies collect employee feedback, only 33% meaningfully act on it.
• Fewer than 40% have mental health champion networks.
• Only 26% equip these grassroots leaders with the data and resources needed to drive change.

HOW TO CLOSE THE GAPS

Organisations that prioritise mental health at every level — not just the C-suite — are achieving stronger business outcomes, higher employee satisfaction, and greater resilience. Here’s how:

1. Executive Action: Lead loudly and visibly

• Model positive behaviours: take time off, set boundaries, and encourage open conversations about mental health.
• Embed accountability: tie mental health goals to executive and leadership evaluations.
• Personally participate in initiatives and programmes to demonstrate commitment beyond words.

2. Manager Enablement: Personalise and normalise

• Regularly gather and act on team-specific feedback to address work-related stressors.
• Tailor mental health programmes to meet the unique needs of teams.
• Celebrate participation and recognise contributions to mental health efforts as vital to team success.

3. Board Engagement: Make mental health at work a strategic priority

• Define formal board-level oversight of workforce mental health.
• Integrate mental health into business strategy, risk management and ESG reporting.
• Monitor outcomes and ensure ongoing executive accountability.

4. Employee Empowerment: Build from the ground up

• Create and support mental health champion networks with real authority and resources.
• Leverage employee insights to shape programmes and proactively manage risks.
• Recognise grassroots leaders as critical contributors to a healthier workplace culture.

Organisations that embed mental health leadership across every layer of their culture will be those that thrive — not only in today’s unpredictable environment but also in the future world of work.

Download the full report here.

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