Mental health at work is not only about how people feel on a particular day. It is also about how work is designed and managed. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is clear that employers have a part to play, and gives practical guidance on how.
Short answer: Employers must protect their people from work-related stress by carrying out a risk assessment and acting on what it finds. The HSE’s Management Standards cover six areas: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. Training can support the risk assessment but does not replace it.
What the HSE says employers must do
The HSE states that employers must protect employees from work-related stress, and that this is done by carrying out a risk assessment and acting on what it finds. Following the HSE’s Management Standards approach correctly is considered suitable and sufficient. The HSE also provides a free workbook, which can be kept as evidence of the steps you have taken.
The six Management Standards areas
- Demands: workload, work patterns and the work environment
- Control: how much say people have over how they do their work
- Support: encouragement and resources from the organisation, line managers and colleagues
- Relationships: promoting positive working and dealing with unacceptable behaviour
- Role: whether people understand their role and conflicting roles are avoided
- Change: how organisational change, large or small, is managed and communicated
Where training fits in
Training does not replace a risk assessment, but it can support it. When managers and colleagues understand mental health, they are more likely to notice when someone is struggling and to know how to respond and signpost to support. Our Mental Health Awareness course is a good starting point, and our Mental Health Ambassador courses go further for people who want to take on a more active role.
We also look at why a safe workplace needs both physical and mental health skills in why every workplace needs both first aid and mental health training. This article is general guidance rather than legal advice.
Written by Graham Hepburn and Rachel Hawkins, FAIB-registered trainers at H2H Training. Last reviewed October 2026. Graham on LinkedIn Rachel on LinkedIn
