Why World Mental Health Day should encourage activities all year round
World Mental Health Day activities are valuable, but explore why year-round consistent action to support employee wellbeing in the workplace is vital.
Each October, World Mental Health Day rolls around and organisations everywhere pause to reflect on how they’re supporting the wellbeing of their people. It’s a brilliant reminder of just how important this is, and we’d never discourage anyone from getting involved. Awareness matters.
But once the social media posts have gone live and the internal newsletters have been sent out (and, if we’re honest, often skimmed or ignored), what happens next? What about the week after, or the months that follow?
For many employees, poor mental health isn’t confined to one day of the year. One in six people experience mental health problems in any given week. For them, awareness days can sometimes feel like a fleeting spotlight, bright for a moment, then gone. If we only focus on wellbeing when it trends, we risk missing the people who need consistent support the most.
The everyday reality of mental health
Recent data from The Burnout Report 2025 underlines this ongoing challenge. In the past year, 21% of UK workers took time off due to stress-related ill health, and 44% reported feeling isolated at work. Those numbers aren’t about isolated incidents; they reflect a daily reality for thousands of people.
When organisations only focus on mental health once or twice a year, support can start to feel more symbolic than substantial. True progress comes from recognising that wellbeing isn’t a campaign, it’s a culture. It’s something that needs to be embedded into the way we work, communicate, and lead every single day.
Moving beyond awareness days
So, how do we make that shift from awareness to action?
It starts with empathy, but it’s sustained through practical steps. We’ve seen first-hand that lasting wellbeing strategies combine heart and structure, they listen to people, respond to real needs, and are built into everyday life at work.
That means:
Embedding wellbeing policies that evolve with the needs of your workforce.
Offering accessible, tailored support that’s available when it’s actually needed.
Equipping managers with the skills and confidence to spot early signs of struggle and respond with empathy.
When mental health support becomes part of every-day working life, rather than an occasional initiative, employees are more likely to speak up, seek help early, and feel genuinely supported. That makes a real difference, both to people and performance.
Turning awareness into year-round action
The organisations leading the way on mental health don’t wait for awareness days to take action. They build support into the rhythm of their workplace culture, making it visible, consistent, and personal. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training
MHFA helps staff and managers recognise the early signs of distress and respond with confidence and care. It’s about creating a network of people who are prepared to listen and guide colleagues towards the right support before things escalate.
Leadership and management development
Leaders set the tone. Training them to understand mental health, and to lead with openness and empathy, has a ripple effect throughout the organisation. It also ensures wellbeing isn’t just a side project - it’s embedded in business strategy.
One-to-one therapeutic support
Sometimes, employees need a little extra help. Providing confidential access to therapy or counselling can be a lifeline, helping people address challenges early, reduce absence, and rebuild resilience.
Policy and culture development
Embedding wellbeing into policies, from flexible working and workload management to regular wellbeing check-ins, turns mental health from an afterthought into an everyday priority.
Ongoing evaluation and guidance
No wellbeing strategy should stand still. Regularly reviewing what’s working (and what isn’t) ensures that support evolves alongside your people’s needs. Surveys, open conversations, and honest feedback loops are invaluable here.
When we think beyond awareness days, we move from reacting to crises to preventing them. We build workplaces where people feel seen, valued, and supported all year round, not just when mental health is trending.
At Red Umbrella, we believe that sustained action is where the real difference happens. If you’d like to explore how to make mental health a year-round priority in your organisation, get in touch with us today.
