Workplace silence putting UK wellbeing and productivity at risk, MHFA England warns 

Almost half of the UK workforce feel unsafe speaking up about mistakes or risks at work, a culture of silence that could be driving avoidable errors, workplace accidents and lost productivity. The figure comes a study by Mental Health First Aid England, based on responses from 2,000 UK employees.  The research also found that 45 per cent of workers do not feel able to raise concerns when they spot problems at work, while 35 per cent say they do not feel safe asking for help. One in seven workers, 15 per cent, admit they have already made a preventable mistake because stress and fear stopped them speaking up. 

The findings shine a light on an often-overlooked aspect of UK workplace health and wellbeing: psychological safety. While the cost of mental ill health to employers is already well documented, at £51bn a year according to Deloitte and 22.1 million sick days annually reported by the Health and Safety Executive, the research suggests there may be significant additional hidden costs linked to silence, fear and poor workplace culture. 

Nearly half of employees, 49 per cent, also say they do not feel comfortable expressing their needs at work, pointing to environments where people remain present but disengaged, anxious or under strain. MHFA England warned that when employees do not feel safe to speak up, risks go unchallenged, quality suffers and small issues can escalate into serious incidents affecting both wellbeing and business performance. 

Sarah McIntosh, chief executive of Mental Health First Aid England, said: “When people don’t feel safe flagging a risk or asking a question, mistakes slip through, quality suffers, and the bottom line and wellbeing take a hit. In an era of rapid change and increasing use of AI, human judgement is our strength and safety net, but only if people feel able to use their voice.” 

The research is released one month ahead of My Whole Self Day on 10 March 2026, MHFA England’s annual campaign focused on workplace culture change. As part of this year’s campaign, the organisation has launched a free, evidence-based toolkit designed to help employers build psychologically safe workplaces. The resources focus on practical actions managers can take, simple team-based activities and the clear link between psychological safety, productivity and mental health. 

MHFA England said psychologically safe teams are consistently shown to perform better, with higher innovation, fewer errors, stronger retention and improved wellbeing. The organisation believes that small, everyday changes, from how meetings are run to how managers respond to mistakes, can have a significant impact on whether employees feel safe to speak up. 

The findings add to growing evidence that supporting mental health at work is not only about reducing absence, but about creating cultures where people feel confident raising concerns, asking for help and being honest about challenges before problems escalate. For UK employers facing skills shortages, rising health-related inactivity and pressure on productivity, psychological safety is increasingly being framed as both a wellbeing priority and a business imperative.