This year, a troubling statistic emerged: more than 12 percent of American workers have experienced a colleague losing their life to suicide, or attempting it in the past year. While companies are working hard to address the issue, when looking deeper into the current training strategies employed for corporate mental health programs, a glaring flaw becomes evident. 

The most common approach to mental health training in the workplace still relies on a small group of people – managers – to be responsible for the mental wellbeing of an entire organization, and frankly, that’s an impossible task. 

Signs and symptoms of mental health distress can be subtle and can show up at any time. Many employees feel uncomfortable discussing their mental health with an authority figure at work and may first confide in their colleagues. For these reasons, it’s critical that every employee is trained in how to respond when symptoms of mental health distress become evident. 

Limitations of manager-focused mental health training

Many organizations are tempted to leave this sensitive matter in the hands of their most trusted and veteran employees: their managers and department heads. Managers are the people that create and uphold the corporate culture within the organization, so companies often see them as the right choice to spearhead this important initiative. 

But managers may not always be in the best position to detect subtle signs of mental distress or provide immediate support for employees experiencing severe depression or anxiety. 

Managers are often not the person employees want to turn to in a mental health crisis for any number of reasons. Employees may not feel comfortable with their manager or their manager may be playing a role in their mental health struggles. No matter the reason, employees should have options for who they can turn to. This is why it is essential to broaden the scope of mental health training to include all employees. Every member of the workforce should be trained to recognize and respond to mental health issues, ensuring a more supportive and aware work environment.

Engaging the full workforce

Consider this, approximately 20 percent of US workers have recently struggled with thoughts of self-harm or suicide. It’s clear the workplace mental health crisis is far-reaching and that a shift in how we address it is required. 

All employees, not just managers, must receive training on how to recognize and respond to mental health crises. According to Wysa’s Colleagues in Crisis report, 34 percent of employees feel ill-equipped or uncertain of how to help a struggling colleague. Ideally, there should near-total participation in workplace mental health trainings and conversations to ensure that every employee is equipped to contribute to a supportive and empathetic work environment and knows what to do if they see a coworker struggling, as they might be the only ones to notice. 

Younger employees need more support

The situation is even more concerning among younger employees, with 35 percent of those aged 18-24 reporting recent suicidal thoughts, a 9 percent increase compared to that of workers aged 35-55. This is a significant difference, making it imperative that the younger generation have the support they need when they enter the workforce. 

Younger employees are particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges, yet this demographic is more likely to continue coming to work, despite severe depression. As more members of younger generations enter the workforce, knowing that they are more likely to be struggling with their mental health, companies should be offering to connect employees with professional mental health support, providing mental health PTO, and overall, opening up the conversation around mental health at work. Forty-six percent of people under 45 said that something as small as being asked how they are doing once in a while at work would be an improvement. Employees must be able to turn to whomever they choose at work and know that that person is equipped with the resources and training to assist them in a mental health crisis or if needed, refer them to a professional who will be able to help. 

Employers must put new strategies in place that go beyond traditional training programs and normalize the conversation around mental health. By equipping all employees with the skills to handle mental health crises and providing necessary resources, organizations can build a more supportive and resilient workforce.