Mental Health Awareness Week
Each year, Mental Health Awareness Week (11-17 May) provides organisations with a powerful platform to shine a light on employee wellbeing.
Rising needs: Mental health challenges in the workplace
The scale of work‑related mental health issues in Northern Ireland remains stark. Recent HSENI figures estimate that 15,000 people experienced work‑related stress, depression or anxiety in 2023/24, resulting in 320,000 lost working days in a single year.
Meanwhile, in Ireland, CIPD data shows that mental health challenges are a leading cause of absenteeism, with 25% of organisations reporting mental‑health‑related absence, and over half of employers (54%) increasing investment in mental health supports as a result. Burnout is now a significant concern for 29% of organisations, driven by workload, job design, and lack of management support.
Poor mental health affects productivity, attendance, morale, and retention. According to HSCNI, mental health problems cost the Northern Ireland economy over £790 million annually, and 10–25% of full‑time workers may experience mental health problems at some stage in their lives/working career.
Yet many employees can be reluctant to talk about mental health challenges at work, and so normalising conversations around stress, depression, and anxiety is vital in building supportive cultures. Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) provides a structured, safe setting to start those conversations – helping teams understand symptoms, share experiences, and seek help early.
Against this backdrop, MHAW acts as a catalyst – encouraging employers to reflect, communicate, and take action.
Promoting positive mental health supports:
- Reduced staff turnover
- Improved performance and creativity
- Fewer absences and associated costs
- Stronger organisational capacity and better working relationships
What can workplaces do?
01. Start with communication
Share clear messages from leadership, provide information on supports, and encourage open dialogue.
02. Run awareness and training sessions
Offer workshops such as stress‑awareness sessions, or wellbeing webinars. Visit Lena’s online training directory for some ideas on what you might like to deliver.
03. Conduct stress risk assessments
HSENI stresses that prevention must come before promotion – risk assessments can help identify and reduce the causes of work‑related stress.
04. Promote work‑life balance
Encourage digital disconnection and challenge ‘always‑on’ cultures.
05. Highlight available supports
Promote and signpost to Lena’s Support Hub and Lena’s workplace counselling service, to occupational health, to mental health first aiders or peer supporters, and to any other relevant internal or external resources.
CIPD data shows that 51% of Irish organisations now have wellbeing on the senior leadership agenda, and more than half encourage healthy work‑life boundaries. Mental Health Awareness Week gives leaders a visible platform to reinforce those commitments and strengthen trust.