If a member of staff is struggling, the right support can make all the difference. Employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to protect staff against discrimination, but beyond that, creating a supportive workplace helps people to stay well, recover, and continue to contribute.
Start with your own organisation
The first step is to check what support your organisation already offers. This might include:
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) – many employers provide these schemes, which offer:
- free, confidential counselling sessions
- advice on money, relationships or legal issues
- 24/7 helplines
Ask HR, check your intranet, or look in your staff handbook for details.
Occupational health services – some organisations provide in-house or contracted occupational health teams, who can assess how someone’s health is affected by their work and recommend adjustments. Visit NHS Health at Work.
For people working remotely, our self-care tips to stay well whilst working from home can be easily shared with employees.
Workplace adjustments and policies
Many people can stay well at work if the right adjustments are put in place. These don’t always need to be complicated or costly – small changes can have a big impact on someone’s ability to manage their role and feel supported.
Reasonable adjustments
People who are experiencing long-term difficulties with their mental health are considered to be disabled under the Equality Act 2010 and can ask their employer to make changes to help them do their job as well as someone without a disability.
The adjustments have to be ‘reasonable’. What’s reasonable depends on the situation, like the size of the organisation you work for.
A long-term effect means something that has affected you or is likely to affect you for at least a year. If an employer fails to make the reasonable adjustments they are duty-bound to make, it could constitute discrimination.
The Disability Discrimination guide from Mind outlines how a person is protected from discrimination under the Equality Act and what their rights are.
Examples of reasonable adjustments include:
- flexible or reduced hours, or changes to start and finish times
- adapting workloads, priorities or deadlines
- offering a quiet space for breaks or focus work
- allowing occasional home working
- extra time for training or learning new tasks
- temporary changes in role or responsibilities while someone recovers
See the ACAS guide to reasonable adjustments for mental health.
Even if your colleague is experiencing problems which might not be considered ‘long-term’ by the Equality Act – it could still be helpful to consider putting some adjustments in place which could help to support their wellbeing needs.
Access to Work
A government scheme that can provide grants for practical support at work, such as:
- equipment or software to help someone manage their job
- a support worker or job coach
- adaptations to the workplace
Find out more at GOV.UK – Access to Work.
Wellness Action Plans (WAPs)
A practical tool for agreeing together what support works best.. WAPs can cover:
- signs a manager might notice if someone is unwell
- strategies the employee uses to stay well
- reasonable adjustments that may help
- how to respond if the person is struggling or in crisis
See our Wellness Action Plans page for a template and guidance.
Staff may also find our MindWell MOT checklist and Self-care goal-setter useful alongside a WAP. They are a great way for individuals to look at their personal wellness needs and build in time each week for self-care and activities that help to support their wellbeing.
Specialist workplace support
Sometimes external expertise can help both staff and managers find the right way forward. Leeds has a number of services and networks designed to support employees and employers.
- Workplace Leeds (part of Leeds Mind) – tailored employment support for people living with mental health difficulties. Visit Workplace Leeds.
- Able Futures – up to nine months of free, confidential advice for employees. Visit Able Futures.
- ACAS helpline – free, confidential advice on workplace rights. Contact ACAS.
- Mindful Employer Leeds – a local network offering quarterly events, newsletters and resources for employers. Find out more about Mindful Employer Leeds.
- Thrive @ Work (for Leeds health and care staff) – fast-track support including coaching, workplace adjustments, and mental health support. Find out more on Leeds Health & Care Academy website.
Help with common challenges
Staff may also struggle because of specific life events or personal circumstances. As a manager or HR professional, you don’t need to have all the answers, but knowing where to signpost can help someone feel supported and less alone.
Use our Service and referral links page to quickly find:
- self-referral options like Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service, Live Well Leeds, Leeds Recovery College, and Linking Leeds
- support by life experience or identity (bereavement, carers, money and benefits, new parents, refugees, veterans, domestic abuse, etc.)
- local advocacy and support lines
- community and peer support groups
- referral-only services for professionals (e.g. CMHT, LYPFT services, social prescribing)
This page brings together trusted local and national services, so you can signpost staff with confidence.
Or you can share our Finding support in Leeds page, designed as a front door to the website.
You can also attend our monthly training sessions, Using MindWell to Support Others, to build confidence in finding and sharing appropriate support. Sign up to join a future session on our Eventbrite page.
For specific workplace contexts, see:
- ACAS guide to managing bereavement at work
- ACAS guidance on bullying and harassment
- ACAS guidance on gender reassignment discrimination
Self-help and digital tools
Encouraging staff to use trusted self-help resources can empower them to take positive steps. Options include:
- MindWell: Looking after your wellbeing – tips on sleep, relaxation, food, movement, and self-care
- NHS Every Mind Matters – personalised mental health plans
- Apps – quality-checked apps for wellbeing and mental health
- Side by Side (Mind) – a supportive online peer community
- Togetherall – a 24/7 anonymous digital support community (subscription required)
Printed resources (posters, leaflets, crisis cards) are also available free from the Leeds Public Health Resource Centre.
Share MindWell resources
You can print off or share our self-help sheets and other materials from our library of self-help resources. It’s also a great idea to put our wellbeing at work sheet on your staff noticeboard!
How can I look after my wellbeing at work?
10 strategies for coping with stress
10 strategies for coping with stress at work
Change the way you sleep
10 strategies for coping with depression
Create a plan for when panic attacks happen
Taking care of yourself during a bereavement
Coping with Living Loss
Putting support in place
Every person’s needs are different. What matters most is:
- asking the individual what support would help
- agreeing together what adjustments are realistic
- checking in regularly and adapting plans as things change
Small, thoughtful changes can make a big difference.