Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 – 5 ways to support employees with anxiety in the workplace

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025, taking place from 12th to 18th May, is an important reminder of the value of mental wellbeing and aims to unite people through shared understanding. This year’s theme is “Community“, which highlights the vital role connection plays in mental health, especially in times of uncertainty and rising anxiety.

Recent statistics from the Priory Group show that 29.9% of men and 37.1% of women reported high levels of anxiety. This has increased from 2012 to 2015, where 18.3% of men and 21.8% of women reported high levels of anxiety. It is a growing challenge in the UK.

The impact of work-related stress also cannot be overstated. 34% of all adults experience high or extreme levels of pressure or stress due to work – and a third of HR professionals are considering quitting the profession because of burnout. It’s clear that workplaces still have progress to make in building communities where people feel safe, supported and seen.

Reducing workplace stress and building communities starts with confident managers, clear policies and proactive support. Here are five practical tips for supporting employees dealing with anxiety and building a more connected, caring workplace.

Train managers to spot the early signs and support anxiety

Work-related stress can worsen existing mental health issues – and in many cases, anxiety goes unrecognised until it becomes a much bigger problem.

That’s why early intervention matters. Managers play a critical role in creating a culture of awareness. With the right training, they can spot early warning signs, hold supportive conversations, and signpost to appropriate help.

But knowing what to say – and when to say it – isn’t always intuitive. Our digital learning solutions equip managers with the confidence and skills to respond appropriately. Through interactive, accessible courses, we break down complex topics into practical guidance your teams can apply straight away.

Investing in mental health training has benefits for your people, and also improves engagement, reduces absence and can even protect your organisation against the more costly alternatives of employee burnout and high turnover due to mental health concerns.

Empower managers to adopt an open-door approach

A culture of openness begins with accessible leaders. Creating space for honest, judgement-free conversations reassures employees that their wellbeing matters. For someone experiencing anxiety, simply knowing that a line manager is approachable can make all the difference.

Regular 1-2-1s are an ideal way to provide this safe space. When managers centre the discussion on an employee’s progress, celebrate their wins, address any concerns, and check that their work still feels meaningful, they strengthen trust and connection. This approach also helps managers spot early signs when someone may be struggling with their mental health.

We support clients in embedding this kind of cultural shift, ensuring their people managers have the guidance, training and policy clarity they need to have constructive, empathetic conversations.

Utilise employee relations data to improve mental health support

Mental health strategies are most effective when they’re informed by data. That means going beyond sentiment surveys and absence rates, and using real-time insights to understand how employees are experiencing work.

With empower®, our dedicated employee relations (ER) solution, you can spot patterns and trends in ER data that may indicate underlying wellbeing issues. Whether it’s a spike in formal case activity within a department or signs of inconsistency in how cases are handled, data gives you the visibility you need to intervene early and act with confidence.

empower® also brings a deeper layer of understanding to how inclusive and supportive your organisation really is, going beyond policies.

By connecting employee characteristics with outcomes across investigations, hearings and appeals, you can highlight disparities, identify risks and take action that creates a fairer, more supportive culture.

By using data well, your organisation can create a healthier workplace for everyone.

Have HR policies in place that support mental health

HR policies shape how your organisation supports its people. But if they’re outdated, hard to access or out of step with your culture, they could be doing more harm than good.

A well-designed mental health policy should give clear guidance on raising concerns, outline how managers can respond with empathy and set out the support available. It should be embedded in onboarding, aligned with your values and regularly reviewed to reflect your evolving workplace.

Our policy support services help organisations review, rewrite or harmonise their HR policies to ensure they’re clear, legally compliant and designed with employee wellbeing in mind. Whether you need a full policy overhaul or targeted updates, our consultants tailor support to your specific needs.

Create spaces for colleagues to safely open up about mental health

A strong workplace community is one where people feel safe to speak openly, especially when it comes to their mental health. Reducing the stigma around these conversations starts with leadership. When senior leaders and managers are open about their own experiences and proactive in supporting wellbeing, it sends a powerful message: it’s okay to talk.

That doesn’t mean managers need all the answers. In fact, the most impactful thing they can do is create an environment of psychological safety. Create a place where team members feel heard, not judged, and where support is accessible, not hidden. It’s about signposting, not solving. Helping someone find the right support is far more effective than rushing to offer a quick fix.

At AdviserPlus, our inclusivity team hosts regular wellbeing drop-in sessions, giving employees a space to talk openly about any challenges they’re facing with their mental health or work-life balance. It’s an initiative that other organisations could easily introduce to support their teams.

Whether it’s team check-ins, away days or one-to-ones, make mental health part of the conversation. Build it into the rhythm of how your teams work and communicate. And make sure key resources – like your Employee Assistance Programme and external support services – are clearly and regularly promoted.

Get in touch

If you’d like to know more about how we can help your organisation create a more connected, confident and compassionate culture, get in touch with our team today.