On World Mental Health Day, Workplace Options (WPO) is urging employers to look beyond reactive crisis response and ensure effective care for employees through sustainable and proactive support. Anniversaries of disasters can reopen emotional and psychological wounds, making long-term support essential. 

“Recovery is not linear,” said Alan King, President & CEO of Workplace Options. “Anniversaries remind us that pain can resurface, but these events also give employers the chance to reaffirm care, reduce stigma, and advance access to support by thoughtful promotion of employee assistance programs.” 

• Five Leadership Actions to Help Teams Communicate with care. Share simple, empathetic, meaningful messages that validate ongoing emotional challenges and highlight resources. 
• Conduct regular check-ins. Recovery takes time. Continued outreach shows it is normal, and beneficial, to seek help. 
• Engage peer support. Encourage Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and storytelling forums to normalise conversations about trauma, stress, and anxiety. 
• Provide manager training. Equip leaders with trauma-informed skills and toolkits so they can respond with empathy and confidence. 
• Monitor and adapt. Gather feedback to ensure support remains relevant and responsive as needs evolve. 

Why It Matters 

Mental health is being challenged all around the world. From increasing financial stress in the US, to a global burnout epidemic, to growing disengagement trends like “quiet cracking,” a subtle form of withdrawal from work, employees are struggling to feel engaged and supported. WPO’s latest findings echo this reality, revealing a sharp increase in workplace strain around the world. 

• Mexico: 82% of employees report work-related stress (the highest in the world). 

• Australia: 80% report burnout, with stress impacting mental health daily. 

• France: 22.2% of long-term sick leave is due to psychological issues. 

• Germany: Sick leave for mental health has risen 47% in the past decade. 

The Call to Action 

World Mental Health Day is not just a date on the calendar: it is a reminder that employers are vital to sustaining care beyond the crisis. With the right, proactive approach, organisations can turn awareness into access, and access into action. 

World Mental Health Day Toolkit 

In honor of World Mental Health Day, WPO has released a free toolkit to help individuals and organizations raise awareness of mental health and take meaningful action. Available in 8 languages, this toolkit is designed to help everyone, no matter where they are, take practical steps to mark the day – Download it for free here.