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Men Are Suffering in Silence – Here’s How Employers Can Offer Much-Needed Support

On Men’s Health Week (9-15 June), employers across the UK should be reminded of the importance of meaningful, everyday actions to support men’s mental health. The key is consistency over spectacle. Too often, we assume support has to come in the form of big, bold gestures. But in reality, people respond better to small, genuine, everyday actions, things that feel authentic and human, instead of corporate or forced.

What really matters is creating a culture where men feel they’re allowed to speak, where support is visible and stigma is challenged.

Currently, the urgency around men’s mental health has never been clearer. According to the Bupa Wellbeing Index, 50% of UK men have experienced mental health struggles, yet fewer than half of those struggling have ever sought professional help. Meanwhile, 43% of working British men believe their employer should be doing more to support their mental health.

The reality is, we’re facing a real crisis, and workplaces have a unique opportunity to become part of the solution. Here, we set out positive examples and advice for employers.

01. Set Up Spaces For Men To Connect

One proven approach is creating informal spaces where men can speak openly with each other. Companies like Scottish Power, JLR and BAE Systems have developed employee networks that offer men the chance to connect in a safe and supportive environment.

When men see that others are speaking up, it normalises help-seeking. It shows them they’re not alone. That’s hugely powerful, especially when we consider that around 37% of men admit they hide their mental health struggles from their partners. For some, work might be the place where that conversation can start.

Wellbeing Index

02. Work with mental health charities

Sixty-five per cent of employees say that stigma around men’s mental health remains a serious barrier.

Partnerships with charities like Andy’s Man Club are helping employers tackle stigma and encourage open discussion, for instance through running regular wellbeing sessions for staff.

It’s about visibility and action. If people don’t see support in the workplace, or hear others talking about it, it remains taboo, and these partnerships help break that silence.

03. Use awareness week to start conversions

Getting involved in campaigns like Movember or Men’s Health Week can be a great catalyst for opening up discussion.

Last year, JLR hosted a series of speaker events where male employees and guest speakers shared their own experiences with mental health. Those real, lived stories spark empathy and conversation. They make people reflect and feel safer sharing their own struggles.

04. Train managers to spot the signs

Businesses should embed mental health training into their management development programmes, making sure that managers are equipped to notice when someone may be struggling and respond appropriately.

Managers are often the first line of defence. With the right training, they can spot when something’s wrong and guide that person towards help.

05. Focus on meaningful, everyday action

Workplaces don’t need to run huge campaigns around men’s mental health, but they do need to show that they care about their employees.

That can be as simple as encouraging honest conversations, offering peer support and making sure help is easy to find, and particularly that relevant support resources are made easily available to staff and signposted to correctly.

It’s not the big, flashy things, it’s the things that show you mean it.

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