Almost nine in 10 employers say they are expected to do more than ever to support employees experiencing poor mental health, while new research suggests many still lack a comprehensive approach. Mental Health First Aid England has launched new standards designed to bring greater consistency to workplace provision.
Almost nine in 10 (88%) employers in England believe their organisation is expected to do more than ever to help employees experiencing poor mental health stay in work, according to research from Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA England).
Yet just 37% describe their organisation as having a comprehensive approach to employee mental health provision, highlighting a potential gap between the expectations placed on employers and the support currently available.
The survey of 1,000 employers, conducted by 3Gem Research and Insights in September 2026, found that a third (33%) had seen an employee take long-term sickness absence due to poor mental health during the previous 12 months, while a quarter (25%) had seen an employee leave.
Among employers that had experienced this, 74% believed more effective workplace support could have helped affected employees remain in their role.
Greater focus on early intervention
The findings come as the Government begins implementing recommendations from the Keep Britain Working Review.
Its latest update positions workplace health as a national growth opportunity, with an increased emphasis on prevention and earlier intervention to help people remain healthy and in work.
Against this backdrop, 86% of employers surveyed by MHFA England said a clear set of workplace mental health first aid standards would help their organisation develop a more consistent approach.
MHFA England has now launched what it describes as the UK’s first Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards, providing a framework for organisations to develop and embed mental health first aid provision.
The nine standards span four phases and cover leadership commitment, recruitment practices, training, support infrastructure, evaluation, awareness of available support and embedding Mental Health First Aid within a wider approach to workplace mental health.
Sarah McIntosh, Chief Executive of MHFA England, said:
“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.”
She added that too often support is introduced only after an employee has reached crisis point or left work, arguing that psychologically safe workplaces and earlier intervention are important to improving retention.
Supporting Mental Health First Aiders
The launch also raises the question of how Mental Health First Aiders themselves are supported.
Previous discussion around Mental Health First Aiders and Wellbeing Champions has highlighted the importance of clear role boundaries, appropriate support and integrating these roles into wider workplace systems rather than relying on individuals to carry responsibility for colleagues’ mental health.
The new standards similarly aim to make Mental Health First Aid part of a broader organisational approach, rather than a standalone intervention.
Simplyhealth, which has 40 Mental Health First Aiders, is among the early adopters.
Siân Evans, Head of Leadership and Development at Simplyhealth and a Mental Health First Aider, said colleagues use the network as another avenue for discussing concerns they may not want to raise with their manager, with Mental Health First Aiders able to listen and signpost them towards services such as the organisation’s EAP.
She said the new framework would help Simplyhealth benchmark its existing approach and identify gaps:
“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.”
The focus on creating environments where employees feel able to seek help also follows earlier MHFA England research highlighting the importance of psychological safety at work.
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