The CIPD’s 2025 Health and Wellbeing at Work report reveals a worrying rise in sickness absence, with the average UK employee taking nearly 2 working weeks off per year – an increase of 4 days per years since before the pandemic.

Behind these figures lies a critical issue – mental ill-health continues to be the leading cause of long-term absence, with stress, anxiety, burnout and depression not only driving absence but also impacting productivity, morale and wellbeing across sectors. It’s never been more important that employers provide meaningful, impactful and preventative support.

That’s where Action Mental Health’s Workplace Wellbeing Hub comes in. Here’s 5 ways the Workplace Wellbeing Hub can help employers to build a healthy and thriving workforce:

1. Providing Personalised and Impactful Support

1 in 5 UK adults struggle with a mental health condition. At Action Mental Health, we know that behind every statistic there is a person – a friend, a colleague, a partner, a parent – each facing unique challenges. That’s why the Workplace Wellbeing Hub focuses on personalised and targeted interventions. As a Hub member, your organisation will receive a Workplace Wellbeing Assessment, enabling us to understand the challenges and barriers your team faces and implement bespoke recommendations and interventions to ensure that employees’ wellness needs are met.

2. Building Stress Resilience and Coping Skills

Stress and burnout are now among the top drivers of absence, often leading to more chronic and complex mental health concerns. With employees frequently reporting feeling overwhelmed by increasing workloads, change and personal pressures, it’s vital that employers take a preventative approach. As a Hub member, your organisation has access to 4 live and recorded webinars, alongside face-to-face training and an extensive library of learning resources. Each training and resource is developed by mental health experts to ensure that your team have access to evidence-based techniques to manage stress and build resilience both inside and outside of the workplace.

3. Equipping Managers and HR to Support Teams Effectively

Managers and wellbeing leads are often the first point of contact for those struggling with their mental health, yet many lack the training and confidence to act effectively. The Workplace Wellbeing Hub includes access to a specialised “HR Hub”, guiding wellbeing and HR professionals through best practice on a range of workplace mental health scenarios. This includes facilitating compassionate return to work interviews, implementing effective reasonable adjustments, responding to workplace incidents and providing support for a range of mental health concerns. You’ll also have access to Action Mental Health’s wellbeing experts as extended team members. Whenever you need guidance on how best to support your team, we’re simply a phone-call away.

4. Embedding Preventative Measures Within Company Culture

CIPD’s 2025 report highlights that the majority of organisations continue to take reactive measures to tackle employee mental health. In contrast, Action Mental Health walks alongside you to embed best practice and preventative measures within your organisational policies and procedures. Whether you’re hoping to implement a new mental health policy or integrate wellbeing champions as an internal support structure, our consultancy services ensure that you are supported each step of the way.

5. Improving Access to Support Services

Reaching out for mental health support can feel daunting at first. The Workplace Wellbeing Hub’s “Signposting Hub” is a fantastic way for employees to understand and access support from organisations across Northern Ireland. Hub members can also avail of Action Mental Health’s BACP accredited counselling services, providing high-quality counselling for a range of mental health concerns and stressors.

Take Action Today

The CIPD report draws a clear conclusion – mental ill-health is an increasing challenge for UK employees and employers cannot afford to ignore it. Action Mental Health’s Workplace Wellbeing Hub provides the training, resources and interventions needed to reduce absence, support recovery and build a workplace where people can thrive.

Find out more about the Workplace Wellbeing Hub, or contact [email protected].

References:

Read CIPD’s 2025 Health and Wellbeing at work report.