What employers need to know
World Suicide Prevention Day acts as a reminder that suicide is not just a personal tragedy, it's a workplace issue too.
Currently around 1 in 4 people experience a mental health challenge each year. As a large proportion of time is spent at work employers play a crucial and empowering role in recognising the signs and creating supportive environments where employees feel safe to seek help.
Signs employers and managers should look out for
While every individual is different, here are some common behaviour changes that might be useful to identify employees who are struggling:
An unusual reduced engagement and withdrawal in meetings, avoiding colleagues, or frequent absence.
Performance changes can indicate a serious issue for example a sudden drop in quality of work, missed deadlines, or uncharacteristic mistakes.
A change in moods like a noticeable irritability, tearfulness, or expressions of hopelessness.
Physical signs including tiredness, lack of care with appearance, or unexplained health complaints.
Listen out for negative statements about life, work, or expressing feelings like a "burden."
These are not always signs of suicidal thoughts, but they do indicate someone may need support with their mental health.
Possible risk factors
A risk factor might include the following, but remember this is not always the case.
- If someone has experienced challenging life events such as physical or emotional abuse,either as a child or as an adult.
- A traumatic life changing event e.g. a relationship ending or the death of a loved one
- The misuse of drugs or alcohol
- Living alone or having little social contact with other people, having a mental health condition such as depression self-harming,
- Living with a physical health condition, especially if this causes chronic pain or serious disability,
- Issues with money
- Challenges at work
Higher risk groups are young people or middle-aged men
What employers can do to support
Foster a culture of openness - Encourage conversations about mental health through awareness campaigns, staff training, and visible leadership commitment. When employees see business owners and senior managers talking openly, it reduces stigma.
Train managers to spot the signs - Provide mental health first aid or wellbeing training so managers feel confident in having sensitive conversations and know when to signpost to professional help.
Promote mental health support - Ensure staff are aware of the confidential counselling services or helplines available through their workplace benefits.
Flexible working arrangements - Recognise that mental health recovery often requires adjustments. By offeriing flexibility in hours, workloads, or arranging remote working might help.
Check in regularly - Encourage managers to prioritise 1:1 check-ins, not just about performance, but also about wellbeing. A simple "How are you doing?" can make a huge difference.
Signpost external support - Share helplines and resources such as Samaritans, Mind, or local crisis services. Employees may feel more comfortable reaching out to external sources. Make sure this information is displayed in your workplace on available for staff to access.
Here is a very moving poem written by Amy one of the team at the Samartians which has been shared on their website.
The campaign for 2025 aims to raise awareness about the importance of interrupting someone's suicidal thoughts.
'Interruptions'
One interruption. Fleeting. The passing of seconds.
Could lead to an impact unbeknownst to you
An intervention, a thought, a feeling, a question
To be forgotten, perhaps, but not by the one you reach out to
Seemingly inconsequential, you carve a space with your words
So small, perchance… but never small to the one you serve
For those exchanges are not mere utterances
Not simple chatter of meaningless matter
They could be the giving of light, a shift, a change
A tiny morsel of living, in this meaningful exchange
You need not be a saint, a wordsmith or expert
Just be who you are in this intervening excerpt
Your story may long forget whatever you do or say
Yet another may find their story will go beyond today.
Suicide Myths
There are some useful resources here on suicide myths
Build a supportive workplace for your team.
Suicide prevention is not about HR "fixing" individuals it's about creating a culture where people feel safe, supported, and connected. If you think someone might be suicidal, take action, interrupt their thoughts and show them you care.
Every small step, an open conversation, a flexible policy, a signposted resource can help someone see a reason to hold on.
On this World Suicide Prevention Day, let's remember: workplaces can be lifesaving environments when we choose compassion, awareness, and action.
Let's be inspired and motivated to make a difference.
There are some useful resources on the Samaritans Website
How to interupt someones sucidal thoughts Click here
Ideas on how to support yourself if you having sucidal thoughts Click here
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