By Penny Dockrill, Director, People and Culture
After more than 20 years working in Human Resources, one thing has become very clear: mental health at work cannot be left to one team, one leader, or one program. It has to be shared.
During Mental Health Month, many organizations highlight new tools, programs, or initiatives. And those absolutely matter. But what truly shapes people’s day-to-day mental health is something more foundational:
- How we show up for one another when things get hard
- How work actually gets done
- The expectations we set
- The boundaries we respect, or don’t
Leadership Sets the Tone for Workplace Mental Health
From the top down, leaders play a critical role in shaping workplace mental health.
The tone they set, through words, actions, and everyday decisions, creates permission (or doesn’t) for people to:
- Speak up early
- Ask for help
- Disconnect when needed
- Show up as a person, not just an employee
When leaders model healthy boundaries, realistic workloads, and behaviours like taking vacation without checking email, it sends a clear message:
You don’t have to be struggling to be supported.
At the same time, leadership accountability means making thoughtful decisions about priorities, capacity, and pace.
Mental health is not supported when:
- Everything is treated as urgent
- Workloads grow without discussion
- Flexibility exists on paper but not in practice
Supporting mental health sometimes means making hard calls, saying no when you want to say yes, and resisting the urge to add “just one more thing.”
Employees Play a Role in Supporting Mental Health, Too
From the bottom up, employees also contribute to a mentally healthy workplace.
Shared responsibility doesn’t mean carrying everything alone. It means:
- Being honest about what’s manageable
- Raising concerns early, not only when overwhelmed
- Using the supports that are available
In HR, we often see people wait until they are exhausted or at a breaking point before reaching out. By then, options can feel limited.
But reaching out early is not a failure.
It’s an act of self-awareness and professionalism, and it creates more room to find solutions together.
At the same time, people leaders need to stay open to these conversations, recognizing that:
- Not everyone can, or should, match long hours
- Not everyone works at the same pace
- Not everyone approaches work in the same way
The Role of HR: Supporting Without Carrying It Alone
HR sits in the middle of all of this.
We’re not therapists, and we can’t solve everything. But we do play an important role in:
- Connecting people to resources
- Navigating difficult conversations
- Supporting both leaders and employees through complex situations
Clear boundaries matter here, too.
When expectations, of HR, leaders, and employees, are realistic and understood, HR teams are better positioned to do their work effectively and sustainably.
Where Accountability and Compassion Meet
What years of experience have shown is this:
Mental health at work thrives where accountability and compassion coexist.
That means workplaces where:
- Responsibility is shared across the organization
- People feel seen and respected
- Expectations are clear and achievable
- Boundaries are understood and honoured
- Support is offered early, not only in moments of crisis
Beyond Initiatives: Making Mental Health Part of Everyday Work
Mental health isn’t a single initiative or a once-a-year focus.
It’s a collective, ongoing practice.
It can be challenging. At times, it may feel like a lot. But it’s built in everyday moments:
- In how we communicate
- In how we plan work
- In how we respond when someone is struggling
It’s reinforced through trust, and sustained when everyone plays their part.
A Workplace Where People Can Do Their Best Work
When organizations get this balance right, something meaningful happens.
Work becomes more than just a place we show up to.
It becomes a place where people are:
- Respected
- Valued
- Supported
And ultimately, a place where people can contribute their best work, consistently and sustainably.