Employees won’t tell their manager they’re struggling, exposing a hidden workplace mental health gap 

New research from Vitality suggests employees are reluctant to discuss mental health concerns with managers, raising questions about whether workplace support models remain too dependent on manager-led intervention. 

For years, employers have invested heavily in mental health awareness training, manager education and encouraging staff to “speak up” when they are struggling. 

Research from Vitality, however, conducted on 2,000 UK adults, suggests many employees still do not feel comfortable discussing their mental health with their line manager, potentially leaving organisations blind to emerging wellbeing risks. 

According to the survey. just 5 per cent of employees would speak to their line manager about their mental health. Meanwhile, 41 per cent said they had considered taking time off work because of stress, burnout or poor mental wellbeing. Among Generation Z workers, that figure rises to 53 per cent. 

The findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that while awareness of mental health has improved, many employees remain reluctant to disclose problems directly to managers. 

Research from MHFA England has previously highlighted that managers often feel ill-equipped to support mental health conversations, despite being expected to play a central role in workplace wellbeing strategies. Other studies have found employees frequently fear being judged, damaging career prospects or being viewed differently if they disclose mental health concerns. 

The result is a potential disconnect between employer expectations and employee behaviour. 

Dr Arun Thiyagarajan, CEO of VitalityHealth, said organisations need to move beyond models that rely on employees escalating concerns themselves. 

“This new research highlights that if support depends on waiting for people to escalate serious concerns, too many people will fall through the cracks.” 

He argued employers should instead focus on making support visible and accessible without requiring employees to first approach a manager. 

“Businesses that move to a proactive and visible model of support can make it easy for employees to access help independently and at an earlier stage.” 

The findings come as employers continue to grapple with rising levels of stress-related absence and growing concerns about burnout, particularly among younger workers. 

For workplace health and wellbeing leaders, the research raises an important question: if employees are unwilling to discuss mental health with their manager, are organisations making support available through channels that workers want to use? 

Increasingly, employers are investing in direct-access support services, digital mental health tools, employee assistance programmes and clinical pathways that allow staff to seek help confidentially and independently. 

The challenge now may be less about encouraging employees to speak up, and more about ensuring support is available before they feel they need to.