Mind The Gap: From Stigma To Support In Workplace Mental Health

Mind The Gap: From Stigma To Support In Workplace Mental Health

The growing visibility of mental health in corporate strategies marks a positive shift, as the World Health Organization (WHO) releases new guidance for mental health policy reform in 2025. However, a troubling disconnect persists between available support and its actual use. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 78% of employees would support colleagues facing mental health challenges, but only 39% feel comfortable seeking help themselves. This ‘support-stigma gap’ mirrors the WHO's global findings – which show that up to 90% of people with severe mental health conditions receive no care at all – highlighting the urgency for organizations to take more effective action.

Despite the growing recognition and inclusion of psychological wellbeing in enterprise-wide health and safety programmes, structural and cultural barriers continue to limit progress. Many employees still fear professional consequences for disclosing mental health concerns, and leadership engagement often falls short, resulting in inconsistent execution of support strategies across the organization.

To close this gap, decision-makers are adopting a three-pronged approach:

• People-centric strategy.
  Leaders demonstrate commitment through personal vulnerability and storytelling about mental health experiences, while also implementing comprehensive manager training programmes and fostering peer support networks.
  
  
• Integrated EHS platforms.
  AI-powered video analytics are best known for monitoring worker posture and movement patterns in real time, analysing workplace behaviours to identify and avoid potential health risks. But related technologies can also be implemented for mental health. Connected wearable devices, for example, can anonymously track health metrics and stress indicators to enable employers to intervene proactively.
  
  
• Process optimization.
  Data management systems that streamline mental health protocols and automate wellness tracking through machine learning better enable users to track employee mental health, automate risk detection, and facilitate coordination between HR and healthcare providers.
  
  
  

The path forward requires transforming mental health from an individual concern into a collective, strategic priority. Success depends on a comprehensive approach that integrates strategic planning, cultural change and effective implementation. To learn more about building a stigma-free mental health culture, please read Verdantix Best Practices: Transitioning EHS To A Total Worker Health Approach or explore related reports on Vantage.