MHFA England launches workplace mental health standards

Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA England) has launched Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards as research finds employers are under growing pressure to support staff mental health.

A survey of 1,000 employers in England found 88 per cent believe organisations are expected to do more than ever to help employees experiencing poor mental health remain in work – yet just 37 per cent said their organisation has a comprehensive approach to workplace mental health provision.

The findings point to a gap between the role employers are increasingly expected to play in supporting workforce mental health and the systems many currently have in place to provide that support.

A third of employers surveyed said they had seen an employee take long-term sickness absence because of poor mental health during the past 12 months, while 25 per cent had seen an employee leave their organisation.

Among employers that had experienced long-term absence or an employee leaving, 74 per cent believed more effective workplace support could have helped affected employees stay in their role.

The research comes as attention increasingly turns to the role employers can play in preventing people from falling out of work because of ill health.

The Government’s Keep Britain Working review identified ill health across all conditions as the most significant driver of economic inactivity and estimated the cost to employers at £85bn a year. Its September 2026 update called for greater emphasis on earlier intervention to help people remain healthy and in employment.

MHFA England has launched its Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards in response, providing employers with a framework for developing and managing mental health first aid provision.

The standards cover areas including leadership commitment, recruitment of Mental Health First Aiders, training, support infrastructure, evaluating impact, raising awareness of available support and embedding mental health first aid within a wider workplace mental health approach.

They are organised into nine standards across four phases, intended to take organisations from establishing the foundations of mental health first aid through to embedding it within workplace culture.

The research found 86 per cent of employers believe clear workplace mental health first aid standards would help their organisation develop a more consistent approach.

Sarah McIntosh, chief executive of MHFA England, said: “The latest Keep Britain Working update rightly identifies tackling workplace health as a major growth opportunity for the UK. Too often, support for employees experiencing poor mental health comes only after someone has reached crisis point or left work. Creating psychologically safe workplaces where people can talk openly about their mental health, without fear of stigma, is essential if we are to improve retention, narrow participation gaps, and help more people and businesses thrive.

“Employers have a vital role to play in early intervention. Good mental health support can be the difference between someone staying in or falling out of work, but it’s clear from our latest research that many need clearer guidance on what good support looks like. Our new Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards provide a practical framework for employers to train and support Mental Health First Aiders, connecting colleagues with help and improving provision and workplace culture over time. We’re asking employers to join the coalition of organisations including Morgan Sindall, WHSmith, and Simplyhealth that are pledging their support for the Standards. Let’s make early, consistent mental health support part of working life.”

Simplyhealth is among the organisations adopting the standards. It currently has 40 Mental Health First Aiders across its business.

Siân Evans, head of leadership and development at Simplyhealth and a Mental Health First Aider, said: “Earlier in my career, mental health wasn’t something we regularly talked about, so the early signs of stress, anxiety or depression could be missed.

“Today, Simplyhealth’s 40 Mental Health First Aiders are well known across our business, and colleagues reach out to them about mental health concerns they may not want to discuss with their manager. They give people another avenue for support and it means our Mental Health First Aiders can listen and signpost colleagues to services such as our EAP when more professional support is needed.

“We wanted to become an early adopter of MHFA England’s new Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards because wellbeing sits at the heart of our company’s values. We already have a lot of the Standards in place, but the framework gives us an opportunity to benchmark our approach, identify any gaps and learn from best practice. “I hope the launch of the Standards encourages a more proactive approach from employers across all sectors, helping people get the support they need earlier and creating workplaces where conversations about mental health are open, supportive and free from stigma.”

The research was conducted by 3Gem Research and Insights among 1,000 employers in England between 2 and 10 September 2026.